CHAPTER 2 : JUST ANOTHER DAY

Gwen woke up to the sound of her alarm screaming from somewhere beneath her pillow.

She groaned.

“Five more minutes.”

The alarm continued.

Gwen reached blindly across her bed, knocking over the book she’d fallen asleep reading, a hair clip, and an empty glass of water before finally finding her phone.

She slapped the screen.

Silence.

For approximately three seconds.

Then her phone buzzed again.

Gwen opened one eye.

MOM: You have twenty minutes.

Gwen stared at the message.

Then another one appeared.

MOM: And don’t pretend you didn’t hear your alarm.

A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.

“Traitor,” Gwen muttered.

She threw the blanket off and sat up.

Her room was already bright with morning sunlight spilling through the curtains. Sketches covered the desk in organized chaos—dress silhouettes, fabric ideas, shoe designs, random notes she’d written at two in the morning because she’d suddenly decided they were brilliant.

Most of them were not.

Some were.

She reached for her phone again.

There was one new message.

From Ji-won.

JI-WON: Morning.

Gwen stared at it for a second longer than necessary.

Then she smiled.

She typed:

GWEN: Morning :)

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

JI-WON: You awake?

Gwen glanced at the time.

7:21.

GWEN: Unfortunately.

The reply came.

JI-WON: I thought you liked mornings.

Gwen frowned.

GWEN: Who told you that?

JI-WON: You.

Gwen paused.

She had, in fact, said that yesterday.

She smiled to herself.

GWEN: I was lying.

A few seconds passed.

JI-WON: Noted.

Gwen laughed.

“Why are you smiling at your phone?”

Gwen nearly dropped it.

Her mother stood in the doorway, holding a mug of coffee.

“You scare me,” Gwen said.

“You’re texting someone.”

“No.”

Her mother raised an eyebrow.

Gwen looked down at her phone.

“Okay. Yes.”

“Ji-won?”

Gwen sighed.

“Mom.”

“What?”

“You say her name like you’re already planning the wedding.”

Her mother laughed.

“I said one name.”

“And you said it with that face.”

“What face?”

“That face.”

“I don’t have a face.”

“You absolutely have a face.”

Her mother shook her head, still smiling.

“Twenty minutes.”

“I know.”

“Breakfast is downstairs.”

“I know.”

“And Gwen?”

“Yeah?”

“Wear something warm. It’s supposed to rain later.”

Gwen glanced toward the window.

The sky was clear.

“Sure.”

Her mother walked away.

Gwen looked back at her phone.

Another message.

JI-WON: Your mother?

Gwen blinked.

GWEN: How did you know?

JI-WON: You stopped typing.

Gwen stared at the screen.

Then she laughed.

GWEN: You’re observant.

JI-WON: I try.

Gwen locked her phone before she could smile any harder.

She had no idea what was happening with Ji-won.

And she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

Not yet.

She liked the uncertainty.

By the time Gwen reached school, Haley was already waiting outside the main entrance with an iced coffee in one hand and an expression of betrayal on her face.

“You’re late.”

Gwen checked her phone.

“I’m three minutes early.”

“Emotionally late.”

“That doesn’t count.”

“It counts to me.”

Terra appeared behind them.

“What’s happening?”

“Gwen is late.”

“I am not.”

Terra nodded thoughtfully.

“Sounds serious.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

The three of them walked inside together.

School was already loud.

Lockers slammed. People shouted across hallways. Someone was running despite the very obvious sign that said NO RUNNING.

Gwen glanced at Haley.

“Why do people always run in hallways?”

“Fear.”

“Of what?”

“Being late.”

“You’re never late.”

“Exactly. I’m feared.”

Terra laughed.

Gwen shook her head.

This was what she loved about them.

Nothing ever felt complicated.

They could talk about absolutely nothing for twenty minutes and somehow leave the conversation convinced they’d just solved all their problems.

At lunch, they took their usual table near the windows.

Gwen had barely sat down when Haley leaned forward.

“So.”

Gwen immediately knew.

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“Yes, I do.”

Terra opened her drink.

“She’s going to say Ji-won.”

“Thank you, Terra.”

“You’re welcome.”

Haley pointed at Gwen.

“You like her.”

Gwen took a bite of her sandwich.

“I like many people.”

“Not like this.”

“There is no ‘like this.’”

“There absolutely is.”

Terra nodded.

“Yesterday you stared at her for approximately eight seconds.”

“It was three.”

Haley’s eyes widened.

“Oh, so you admit it?”

Gwen froze.

Terra burst out laughing.

“You walked into that one.”

Gwen leaned back.

“You two are terrible friends.”

“We’re honest friends.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Yes.”

Haley grinned.

“Are you going to talk to her today?”

“I talk to her every day.”

“Like, talk-talk.”

Gwen rolled her eyes.

“You’ve watched too many movies.”

“Answer the question.”

Gwen was about to respond when a familiar voice came from behind her.

“Gwen.”

She turned.

Ji-won stood there.

Her dark hair fell just above her shoulders, slightly messy in a way that somehow looked intentional. Her uniform was neat without being overly formal, her tie loose, sleeves rolled just enough to make it look like she’d been wearing it for hours.

She held something between two fingers.

Gwen recognized it immediately.

Her pen.

“You left this in class.”

Gwen blinked.

“Oh.”

Ji-won held it out.

“You lose things a lot.”

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

Gwen took the pen.

“Thank you.”

Ji-won gave her the faintest smile.

“You’re welcome.”

Then she walked away.

Haley stared after her.

Terra stared at Gwen.

Gwen stared at her pen.

“No.”

Neither girl said anything.

“Don’t.”

Still silence.

Gwen sighed.

“Fine. Maybe a little.”

Haley slapped the table.

“I KNEW IT.”

“Keep your voice down!”

“I knew it!”

Gwen laughed despite herself.

Across the cafeteria, Ji-won glanced back.

Their eyes met.

She smiled.

Gwen looked away.

She hated how easily that girl could make her nervous.

The rest of the school day passed quickly.

By three-thirty, Gwen was heading toward Manhattan for her internship.

The fashion house occupied the upper floors of a sleek glass building surrounded by boutiques, cafés, and people who always seemed to be in a hurry.

The moment Gwen stepped through the doors, she felt different.

This wasn’t school.

This was where she wanted to be.

Clothing racks lined the showroom. Mood boards covered the walls. Garment bags hung from rails. Designers moved between tables covered in fabric swatches, sketches, measuring tapes, and coffee cups.

There was always something happening.

And Gwen loved every second of it.

“Gwen!”

She looked up.

Maya waved from across the room.

“You’re here!”

“Unfortunately.”

Maya laughed.

“Come help me before I quit.”

“You say that every day.”

“One day I mean it.”

“You won’t.”

“Probably not.”

Gwen dropped her bag beside the desk.

“What do you need?”

“Those fabric samples sorted by collection. Then these documents need to go upstairs. And—”

Maya stopped.

“You’re smiling.”

Gwen blinked.

“Am I?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe I’m just happy.”

“Suspicious.”

Gwen laughed.

Maya had been one of the first people at the fashion house to genuinely take a liking to her.

Gwen wasn’t the most experienced intern.

She wasn’t supposed to be.

But she asked questions.

She paid attention.

She remembered things.

And more importantly, she brought an energy that made people want her around.

She could walk into a stressful room and somehow make someone laugh without making light of the situation.

Within a few weeks, nearly everyone knew her.

The seamstresses liked her.

The assistants liked her.

The designers liked her.

Even the intimidating creative director had once told her that one of her sketches was “interesting.”

Gwen had spent three days celebrating that one word.

She was still celebrating it.

“Gwen,” someone called.

She turned.

“Can you bring these upstairs?”

“Sure.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

She picked up the folder.

On her way to the elevator, she passed a group of senior assistants discussing a collection.

“That’s the wrong fabric.”

Everyone looked at her.

Gwen stopped.

“I mean…”

Maya covered her mouth, already laughing.

One of the designers raised an eyebrow.

“What makes you think that?”

Gwen looked at the fabric sample.

“The weight is wrong for the silhouette. It’ll pull differently around the waist.”

The designer looked at the sample.

Then at Gwen.

Then back at the sample.

“You’re right.”

Gwen smiled.

“Thank you.”

Maya whispered as Gwen walked past.

“Show-off.”

Gwen whispered back.

“I’m talented.”

They both laughed.

From across the room, someone watched them.

Ariana.

She had been working at the fashion house longer than Gwen.

She knew the designers.

She knew the assistants.

She knew how things worked.

And she didn’t particularly like how quickly Gwen had become everyone’s favorite.

At first, Ariana had ignored her.

Then she’d started making little comments.

Nothing obvious.

Nothing anyone could easily accuse her of.

Just enough to make Gwen notice.

“Some people get comfortable very quickly.”

Gwen looked up from the sketches she’d been sorting.

Ariana stood beside the table.

Gwen smiled politely.

“I guess.”

Ariana looked at the sketches.

“Interns usually don’t give opinions on collections.”

Gwen nodded.

“Okay.”

Ariana seemed almost disappointed by the lack of reaction.

“I’ve been here long enough to know how things work.”

“That’s good.”

“I’ve worked hard to get where I am.”

“I can tell.”

Ariana narrowed her eyes slightly.

Gwen returned to her work.

She wasn’t going to argue.

She wasn’t going to compete.

And she definitely wasn’t going to let someone else’s insecurity ruin her day.

Ariana walked away.

Maya leaned toward Gwen.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“She does that.”

“Does what?”

“Acts like she owns the building.”

Gwen smiled.

“Maybe she paid for it.”

Maya laughed.

Gwen lowered her voice.

“But seriously, I’m fine.”

And she was.

Mostly.

Later that afternoon, Gwen was carrying a stack of folders toward the conference room when Ariana stepped directly into her path.

“Can you move?”

Gwen looked up.

Ariana didn’t.

Instead, she said, “You know, being everyone’s favorite doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want.”

Gwen’s expression remained calm.

“I don’t think I do whatever I want.”

“You interrupt meetings.”

“I answer questions.”

“You give opinions nobody asked for.”

“When someone asks me what I think, I answer.”

Ariana folded her arms.

“You’ve been here for five minutes.”

“It’s been three months.”

Ariana’s expression tightened.

Gwen almost smiled.

“Look,” she said, keeping her voice even, “I don’t have a problem with you.”

“I didn’t say you did.”

“You’re right.”

Gwen shifted the folders in her arms.

“But I also don’t need you to like me.”

Ariana stared at her.

Gwen continued.

“I respect you. I respect your experience here. I’ll always do my job properly. But I’m not going to shrink myself because my personality bothers you.”

Ariana’s jaw tightened.

Gwen gave her a small, polite smile.

“So we’re good.”

She walked past her.

No shouting.

No insults.

No dramatic confrontation.

Just a boundary.

Behind her, Ariana remained silent.

Maya watched from the other side of the room.

When Gwen reached her, Maya whispered,

“Okay.”

“What?”

“That was actually kind of iconic.”

Gwen laughed.

“I was literally just talking.”

“You were talking like someone who pays rent.”

“I do pay rent.”

“Exactly.”

Gwen shook her head.

She returned to work.

And Ariana didn’t bother her again for the rest of the afternoon.

By six, Gwen was exhausted.

She packed her things and checked her phone.

Three messages from Haley.

Two from Terra.

One from her mother.

And one from Ji-won.

She opened Ji-won’s message first.

JI-WON: Busy?

Gwen smiled.

GWEN: Very.

A response came quickly.

JI-WON: Surviving?

GWEN: Barely.

JI-WON: Dramatic.

GWEN: Accurate.

JI-WON: Did you eat?

Gwen paused.

She hadn’t.

GWEN: Maybe.

JI-WON: That’s not an answer.

Gwen smiled.

GWEN: I’ll eat.

JI-WON: Good.

A second later:

JI-WON: I like you alive.

Gwen stared at the screen.

Her heart skipped.

She read it again.

And again.

Then she typed:

GWEN: That’s reassuring.

Three dots.

JI-WON: It should be.

Gwen laughed quietly.

She put her phone away before she could embarrass herself by smiling at the screen again.

Maya looked over.

“Ji-won?”

Gwen looked at her.

“How does everyone know?”

“Because you smile differently.”

Gwen groaned.

“I hate all of you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No.”

She smiled.

“I really don’t.”

That evening, Gwen walked home with her headphones on.

The city was beginning to glow.

Cars passed.

People hurried along sidewalks.

Restaurants filled with customers.

Music spilled from open doors.

Everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.

Her mother was waiting when she got home.

“You’re late.”

“Internship.”

“Did you eat?”

Gwen froze.

Her mother narrowed her eyes.

“Gwen.”

“I was going to.”

Her mother sighed.

“Take your shoes off.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And wash your hands.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And come eat.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Gwen smiled as she walked away.

Her phone buzzed.

She checked it.

Ji-won.

JI-WON: Home?

Gwen typed:

GWEN: Just got in.

JI-WON: Good.

Gwen stared at the screen.

There was something strangely comforting about the simplicity of it.

No grand declarations.

No dramatic moments.

Just someone checking that she had made it home.

Gwen smiled.

GWEN: Goodnight, Ji-won.

The reply came a moment later.

JI-WON: Goodnight, Gwe

n.

Gwen put her phone down.

Then picked it back up.

She reread the message.

Then finally set it aside.

Outside her bedroom window, New York carried on beneath the evening sky.

Tomorrow would bring school.

Her friends.

Her internship.

Maybe Ji-won.

Maybe another argument with Ariana.

Maybe something completely unexpected.

But whatever happened, Gwen knew one thing.

She liked her life.

She liked who she was becoming.

And for now, that was enough.