“Miss Eun is surely popular. Talking on her phone until the final second.” The interviewer spoke in Korean. His statement directed at the long glossy obsidian hair, porcelain beauty.
Her photogenic smile didn’t twitch at the chive remark, “He was a stubborn man who finally admitted I was right after numerous years.” Her voice pleasant to the ear, a sweet alto, brightened by her laughter.
“A he? Who may it be?” The interviewer moved to the edge of his seat.
“An old friend,” Her black coffee eyes brightened as she leaned in closer to the interviewer. The pair remarkably similar to a gossiping couple. As her voice was hushed despite the microphone hooked around her elfin ear.
“I’m sure the viewers are already writing articles are who this mystery man may be. May it be your recent co-star, Jin. It was rumored you two had history before becoming famous.”
“Was a little over 5 years ago now, when we met I was blond.” Eun relaxed in her chair as she looked towards the ceiling for recollection of the first meeting.
“That was the time of your debut then.”
“Exactly, feels like ancient history. I do my best to repress those memories of that golden hair. I still strands of it even after all these years.”
“You were beautiful, don’t lie to our listeners. I’m sure we have a photo from that time.”
“I sure hope not.” She forced a laugh with crossed arms.
“It can’t be that bad, let’s see.” They both turned in their seats to look up at the large screen that projected a picture of Eun when she first debuted. “You looked absolutely spectacular, very gal with the leather jacket and heavy eyeliner.”
“I can’t believe I thought that was a good look then. Curse younger me.” She clicked her tongue in annoyance at the reemergence of the memories.
“I’m sure Mr. Mystery was absolutely swooned by you.”
She was slow to reply as her trained smile fell flat. “I still remember the first words he ever told me. If you give me a day, I’ll leave you immortalized in a novel.” It felt like her first serious response, her eyes even if locked with the interviewer weren’t looking at him.
“I’m sure he is someone special if you remember that even after all these years.” He easily adapted to her tone, his energetic radio voice mellowed flat.
“The Incomplete Author…”
“The Incomplete Author…” The interviewer tried to remember where he knew the title.
“The best story in the world is the one you write and love. So if you love any story more than your autobiography; tomorrow is a new day and today can be the prologue.”
“Aster Curtail! The man who never wrote ten chapters to a story. It is well known each female lead is counterpart to a real person in his life. So we have to know, are you one?” The enthusiasm from earlier reinvigorated at the prospect of what headlines this would lead to. This interview was initially planned to be a talk about her recent movie, but this would bring in a much larger audience.
“I’m sure even if I denied it people would find out anyway, so yes I’m. I’m the lead to, Say Yes.”
“The first one, the one who vanished from his life. Miss HK.”
“Right before he published the first chapter he called me, required my consent before posting anything. Then for three years he never called again. Then today, just now, he called to tell me all those years ago I was right.”
“What were you right about?”
“That when you chase happiness, you are only running from depression.”
“The opening words to Say Yes.”
“It was in fact, you a fan of his works?”
“Regretfully…Despite knowing that none will be completed I read every chapter. To any viewers who are not into English writing circles Aster Curtail, the Incomplete Author, has written 45 incomplete stories over the course of 5 years. Even if the story is acclaimed by fans and critics alike it is forever walled by the barrier of double digit chapters.”
“Mine came close with nine, and quite a few others reached that same point.”
“As the first lead, you have to tell us what he will never write.”
“What happened at that dinner?”
“Exactly.”
“He hates Goodbye. Hates the idea that something, anything can just end in a snap. So he never says it. He refuses to say goodbye to anything in his life. So we made a promise, one he fulfilled today. Which is why, I will be spending one week in America, as a promise is a promise. See you soon Aster.”
===
“Life is a story. I’ve said that thousands of times. So let’s sit down and make the first chapter. Of the man who just lost his mother, and there found color in the world. Everyday with her wrote themselves, I never imagined a life with every girl who walked by. I didn’t delude myself any longer with a figment of intensions behind every hello. This is because she made those paradises meaningless. Every story before now was prologue, and this is where it all began, where every piece of history converged.” Aster lost himself in his laptop, his mind entirely consumed by the gnawing sensation of writing. He didn’t need a whiskey to slow the thoughts. From brain to fingers they flew between keys, it was the story he dreamt of, his story.
===
“Hello, Aster, good morning. It’s Mr. Fields, I’m calling about the in-person interview, I look forward to meeting you and your significant other. Please call me back at your soonest convenience so we can set up a time. Thank you for the continued patronage of our orphanage.” Aster listened to the voicemail after breakfast. Luna was off in the other room with her morning cartooning, her voice filled the entire condo as she sang the theme. “Life’s horizon, sun’s great shining! It’s a wonderful day to solve a mystery!”
The message created unease for Aster, particularly bothered by the inclusion of a significant other. He worried if it was found he lived alone without a mother figure for Luna his application would be denied.
“Hello, Mr. Fields!” Aster stepped outside in case Luna could hear otherwise, his nervousness hidden beneath an energetic greeting.
“Mr. Curtail, thank you for calling me back.”
“It is no trouble, wanted clarification on a point in your message. You were looking to meet my significant other at this interview as well?”
“Yes, we see it as an important part of childhood to be exposed to both maternal and paternal figures. So, we require all adoptive prospects be couples. Will meeting her pose a problem? If she is busy, we can plan around her schedule.” Mr. Fields was fairly accommodating.
“I’ll try to get back to you when she gets off from work tonight,” Aster replied absent-mindedly, already contemplative towards who he could reach out to.
“It is no trouble, just request we try to have this process begun by the end of this month.”
“Thank you, talk to you soon.” He hung up the phone after Fields said goodbye. He tossed between two options on who to call, Marlena or Kelly. He could reach out to others but they were the only ones who have met and been accepted by Luna.
“Hey, It’s Aster, I need your help, call me later. It’s about Luna.”
Luna knows, for the moon sees all, even if the sun hides her glow
@Bronzeapollo facts