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Warning: Alternative Universe

Summary: Chu Ga Eul was perfectly ordinary until best friend Jae Kyung forces her to pose in one of her commercials. Now she's the hottest new model around, has plenty of suitors and a lot more money. But the thing that she wants the most lives a few blocks away, is completely out of reach and goes by the name of So Yi Jeong. What's a girl to do but up the ante when she wants the most notorious playboy around? At least that's what Jae Kyung says anyway…

I LIKE IT (SO) HOT

I am so engrossed in my novel that I almost miss the stop. "Wait! Wait!" I holler at the top of my voice, stuffing the already crumpled book into my bag as I stand up, pressing frantically on the bell. As if on purpose, the bus driver steps on the brakes abruptly, causing me to lurch forward and I almost fall onto the person in front of me.

"Thanks a lot," I mutter as I descend the steps on somewhat wobbly legs. I shouldn't be out actually; I should be at home, studying. But Jae Kyung's invited, meaning she has insisted, that I be with her for her first commercial photo shoot. You would think she'd be the model, Jae Kyung has the looks in spades. But she's the photographer, and a really good one at that. Throughout high school and even now in university, she's always won national competitions and placed in some international ones. Jae Kyung's dream is to turn professional, much to her parents' horror since they always envisioned her running their mini empire on earth: JK Holdings. Hence, she's signed up as a freelance fashion photographer to prove to them that photography can be commercially viable. She just needs a big break. That explains my presence: I'm the support. Half the support team actually, since Jan Di cannot make it.

There is a lot of music, fewer lights than I expect and a huge white drop cloth that forms what I imagine must be the background. There are fans around, that's probably where models get those glamorous flying hair shots from. Something's not right though.

"Where is the model? She was supposed to have been here an hour ago!"

That's Jae Kyung's voice and that tells me that my hunch is right. It's my first time to such an event, if you can call it that, but I figured that the make-up artists and lighting crew should not be standing around twiddling their thumbs or with their iPhones or smoking. I try not to breathe as I slip past them and make my way to Jae Kyung.

"Ga Eul ah! This is a disaster." Jae Kyung wraps her arms around me in a gigantic hug which is part greeting, part need for comfort. I pat her gingerly on the back; she's suffocating me a little. Fourteen years of friendship and that hug has not changed a bit. It makes me glad though. "The model is not answering her phone and the agency says they can't contact her. Worse, they have no model to replace her."

"How hard can it be to replace a model?" I ask innocently, trying to ignore the dirty looks I get from some of the crew nearby who are apparently eavesdropping.

"You can't just use any model," Jae Kyung explains, looking a bit astounded at my question. "This photo ad is for a range of make-up that should transform the quintessential girl next door, which is the kind of look that that model has. It wouldn't overpower her looks, but enhance her natural beauty."

"Someone needs to enhance her natural beauty."

We both turn to glare at whoever it is that made that remark but everyone's looking away. Everyone except one woman.

"Hey, doesn't she look a little like the model who was supposed to show up?"

I'm sure I don't. For one thing, I am not beautiful. I'm not hideous and that's been good enough for me. My idea of wearing make-up is to slide on some lipstick every now and then. I'm as far from model-like as a person can get. That doesn't stop Jae Kyung from spinning me around and scrutinising me.

"You know, Hee Young, you're right."

"No she isn't," I protest. Before I know it, Jae Kyung's bundling me over to a chair with a tall mirror on the table. My bag is practically ripped off my shoulders, as is my coat and the woman called Hee Young has her hands in my hair. "Hey!"

"Wow, you really aren't wearing any make-up at all. You know, you're pretty okay for someone who goes au natural."

"Er, thank you. I think."

"And you have gorgeous hair. We definitely need to do a couple of those kinds of shots. This hair is so glossy!"

"Shots? What shots?" I turn to Jae Kyung, only to discover she's clasped her hands to her chest and her eyes have gone very wide and pleading. "Oh no, I know that look. No, I'm not doing it."

"Please, please Ga Eul ah. Just for me. It's just a couple of test shots. If it's not good, I won't use it. Okay? Thanks!" I'm engulfed in another giant hug and although I'm saying no, Jae Kyung's shoved my face into her shoulder so that I'm more than a little breathless and unable to keep protesting.

"But I don't want to," I say plaintively to her retreating back. But apparently, I'm going to because no one is listening.

….

"Are you sure these are girl next door clothes?" I hiss at Jae Kyung as she forces me to the centre of the floor. "Can you send those guys away?"

"Why? They're drooling. It's good, you're desirable. So pose like you're the best thing that's happened to men besides soccer being on cable."

The thing is, if I bend over in these shorts, I'm sure more than my thighs will be exposed. And I do not want my mooning anyone to be caught on photographs for all eternity. Still, I must admit, I do feel pretty though. Hee Young's a wizard with make-up, the Simply Perfect brand in this case, and she's curled my hair into those huge sexy waves that are impossible to do at home even with a curling iron. And I love the shoes. They are open toe with ankle straps and a lot of Swarovski crystals. Cinderella shoes. Only my Prince Charming has so many women throwing themselves at him that I don't have a prayer of getting near.

"Hey, I said look happy, not forlorn," Jae Kyung hollers at me from behind her camera. "Stop thinking about him!"

Darn, she knows me all too well. Besides, it's her fault that I met So Yi Jeong, lost my heart and my ice-cream on the same day. Even at ten he was a charming creature, all coiffed hair and sweet smiles with his suits which were a tinier version of what his dad wore. He smiled at me and I stupidly handed him my Cookies 'n Cream because he told me he would pay me with a kiss. I have yet to collect on that.

"Here, drink this."

Hee Young is suddenly there shoving a glass of what looks like water at me. But it smells like... "Soju?" I recoil but she pushes it at me again.

"Look, you're inexperienced and the guys are making you nervous. We've got different outfits lined up for you. So drink this. It'll help. You'll pose better, you'll change outfits quicker and we can all go home. You wouldn't want to prevent us from knocking off early, would you? I have a kid at home and I want to take her out."

Feeling like I'm making some kind of sacrifice, I down the soju, trying not to cough as it burns its way down my throat, past my lungs and settles in my belly. For a moment I think I'm going to throw up, but then the warmth settles and spreads to my toes.

Someone turns up the music, and the fans start blasting away at me. I realise I'm swaying a little to the beat.

"Alright Ga Eul. Look this way. Smile!"

I turn to face Jae Kyung as the wind whips my glossed up hair past my cheek. Bending down a little, I run a hand down the collar of the shirt and tug it slightly open. I spot one of the guys behind Jae Kyung staring at me with his mouth slightly open. So this is what it feels like to be one of the pretty girls for once. I wink at him and flash a megawatt smile, somewhat aware that Jae Kyung is clicking away like there's no tomorrow.

"Blow him a kiss!" Someone calls out and I oblige.

"That was great!" Jae Kyung is looking at me, and she's visibly surprised. "You're really photogenic you know. Let's see how you look in the bodysuit."

"Bodysuit?! I thought this was a girl next door look you wanted."

"Yes, but all girls next door want to vamp it up a little from time to time. Besides, it might just work. The face of an angel and the body of a wh—"

"Hey!"

Jae Kyung shrugs and smiles. "Just try it on. It won't hurt."

On the way to the dressing room, I ask for more soju. This time though, it's not Hee Young that brings it but the guy who was staring at me. He's kind of cute actually. And more importantly, I think I'm beginning to like the attention.