Episode 5: As Planned (1)
Wrapped in the cozy collaboration of a warmly heated floor and soft blankets, Woo Zia woke to the cool morning breeze brushing across her slightly exposed face. Her first thought was one of suspicion.
‘Why do I feel so refreshed today…?’
The crushing fatigue that usually weighed her down was barely noticeable this morning. It had been so long since she’d felt this refreshed that she couldn’t even remember the last time.
‘How long has it been since I woke up before the alarm…?’
Still groggy and half-asleep, Zia’s thoughts froze as she tried to pinpoint the reason for this feeling.
‘Wait… the alarm…?’
That’s when it hit her. This refreshing sensation was the kind that absolutely shouldn’t be—the kind brought on by oversleeping.
Whoosh!
The blanket flew off her as she jolted upright, snatching her phone like a raptor seizing its prey.
[09:42]
“Oh.”
A stunned gasp escaped her lips. It was three hours past the 7 a.m. alarm she’d set and over an hour past the 8:30 a.m. start time for her café job.
In a situation so terrifying it could’ve warranted a scream, Zia swallowed it to avoid waking the person sleeping beside her. She slid her feet off the bed.
‘Okay… I’ll just wash my face quickly… wear a hat for my hair… makeup can wait until I get to work.’
Even skipping everything, she had no idea when she’d make it to work. She gave herself a mental knock on the head.
‘Ugh, why didn’t I hear the phone?’
The strict café manager would’ve called her countless times by now, no doubt.
“Huh?”
Only then did Zia notice something was off. She checked her phone again. No missed call notifications. Regaining her composure, she muttered under her breath.
“Right. I quit my job.”
The panic slowly ebbed, replaced by a wave of relief.
‘Was I that exhausted?’
To miss her alarm entirely? If even the backup alarm didn’t go off, she must’ve turned it off in her sleep and gone back to bed. Fortunately—or unfortunately—it didn’t matter today, but if this had happened on a normal day, it would’ve been a hassle.
“Ha..yoo…”
She let out a light sigh, the lingering sleepiness tugging at her, urging her back into the warmth of the blankets. But Zia shook her head, brushing off the sweet temptation.
‘I need to find a new part-time job.’
She wasn’t some chaebol heiress from a drama. The only thing she could do for the lover she cherished was provide the modest financial support she’d been managing so far. That thought dampened the morning’s freshness, her shoulders growing heavy as she recalled the foolish thing she’d almost done yesterday out of love.
“I love you.”
At the same time, her lover’s impossibly sweet confession filled her mind. Those tender words, so unlike his usual self, were his desperate effort to keep her from tormenting herself. Knowing the depth of his affection, all Zia could do was act as normal as possible to ensure his efforts weren’t in vain. As she steeled herself to get up, she failed to notice the cold something approaching from behind.
“Eek!”
A chilly sensation slipped under her loose T-shirt, brushing against her bare skin, prompting a near-scream as she whipped around. There was her lover, Han Yujin, eyes barely open, clinging to her waist.
“Why’re you up already? I turned off the alarm on purpose.”
His slightly hoarse voice clued her into the situation, and a touch of indignation flared. If she’d woken to the alarm as usual, she wouldn’t be dealing with this emotional rollercoaster.
‘This guy, who loves his morning sleep, why’d he do that?’
Of course, she knew it was for her sake, so instead of snapping, she pried his hands off her waist.
“I need to find a new job.”
“Mmm… since you quit, can’t you take a few days off?”
But the grip around her waist only tightened, and a sweet temptation whispered in her ear. Did she not want to give in to it?
“If I don’t work, who’s gonna feed us?”
“I got that money yesterday.”
“A million won? What, you gonna stick it up your nose?”
A million won was no small sum, but in this harsh Seoul, for two people with no one to rely on, it wasn’t much either. To prepare for the unexpected, she had to get moving now.
“Noona needs to work if she wants to feed and clothe little Yujin. Stop acting spoiled and let go of my hand.”
Even with her gentle coaxing, the arms wrapped around Zia’s waist didn’t loosen.
“Then just today… let’s rest for just one day… one day off won’t hurt.”
Zia felt a slight dampness on her lower back. The hint of moisture in her lover’s voice clearly conveyed his apologetic feelings.
‘Hmm… maybe just today…’
As Zia was about to give in to the sweet temptation, a heavy buzz interrupted the tender moment from the bedside.
Ziiing.
“Ugh, who’s calling at a time like this…?”
Only then did the grip around Zia’s waist finally loosen. But it was fleeting.
“What? Why aren’t you answering?”
“I don’t need to.”
Glancing at the number on the phone, Han Yujin tossed it aside and clung to Zia’s waist again.
“Who’s calling that you’re ignoring?”
Zia’s question trailed off ambiguously.
She knew Yujin was the type to answer even unknown numbers, as they could be opportunities. For him to dismiss a call so coldly meant…
“Wait…”
The face of the woman who’d pressured Zia to break up with Yujin by dangling his future flashed through her mind. But—
“It’s not like that. It’s just someone I worked with yesterday.”
Had he noticed the shift in her expression? Yujin quickly added an explanation.
Relieved, Zia let out a small sigh, but another question soon surfaced.
“Then why aren’t you answering?”
“Huh? Oh, well…”
Yujin’s hesitation sparked a new wave of unease in Zia’s heart. Not only had he casually kicked away a rare debut opportunity, but now he was brushing off a call that could be another chance.
“Han Yujin, you’re not…”
Zia couldn’t bring herself to ask, ‘You’re not giving up on singing, are you?’ The thought of a “yes” in response felt like it would unleash uncontrollable tears.
She loved the way he silently walked through a dark, uncertain tunnel toward his goal. Supporting Yujin’s dream had become her own, so much so that she’d been willing to step back from an opportunity that could bring him closer to it.
Of course, her love for him wasn’t so shallow that it would fade if he stopped pursuing music. Even if he failed to achieve his dream, she’d love him just the same. But if his decision to give up was because of what she’d done yesterday, she didn’t think she could forgive herself.
As her thoughts reached that point, Zia couldn’t stop the tears welling in her eyes. Seeing this, Yujin—
“Zia, why are you crying? It’s not like that, really. Singing’s all I’ve got—why would I quit? I’m going to keep singing.”
He sprang up as if propelled by a spring, wiping the tears from her eyes. But as if a switch had been flipped, her tears wouldn’t stop.
“Then why are you dodging work calls!”
“It’s just… it’s really not a call I need to take right now…”
“That doesn’t make sense!”
Zia knew she wasn’t in a position to be angry, but she couldn’t help it. Still, Yujin’s flustered demeanor didn’t seem like he was just trying to dodge the moment.
“Call them back, apologize, and hear them out!”
She grabbed the phone he’d tossed aside and thrust it in front of him.
“Ha… I’m telling you, it’s not like that…”
Sigh.
Despite his reluctance, Yujin had no choice but to redial the number.
“Yes, this is Han Yujin. Sorry, I missed your call… Now? Does it have to be right now…? Yes, I understand. I’ll head over.”
Though Zia couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, the urgency of the call was clear from the context. When she shot Yujin a pointed frown for trying to avoid it, he finally raised the white flag.
“Get washed up first. I’m going to look for a new job too.”
Zia pushed her reluctant lover toward the bathroom. Then, leaning against the door, she murmured,
“I want you to keep singing, Yujin.”
***
Zia is my muse.
Before my regression, every love song I wrote was about Zia, and every note of longing was for her.
That hasn’t changed since coming back to the past, nor will it ever.
The dopamine of this happiness, which dominates my present and future self, is all the more precious because I once lost it.
But watching my muse like this hurts a little.
Café shifts in the day, pub gigs at night, and PC bang work on weekends—Zia barely has a moment to herself, earning enough to cover both our living expenses while my income as a musician fluctuates.
‘At just twenty-three…’
For others, this is a golden time to hone their dreams and futures. Seeing her dedicate this precious period to me—how could anyone with a heart not ache at that?
I know Zia wouldn’t stop working even if I begged her, so since she’s quit her jobs, I wanted to hold her back to rest, even just for a bit…
“Hello.”
“Hey, come sit.”
But this catfish of a man ruined everything.
‘Of course… Bang Hokyung, what else did I expect!’
He called me out unilaterally, acting all high and mighty as if the transportation money he gave me yesterday meant I had no right to complain. My blood boiled.
Of course, I know.
The only way to repay Zia’s devotion is to fulfill what she wants.
“I want you to keep singing, Yujin.”
Her soft murmur from the other side of the door echoes vividly in my mind. Her dream has become mine, though my own dream is no longer just about music. Now, my dream is for Zia to find happiness by my side, and I have no choice but to pour everything into making that happen.
To do that, I need to grab hold of the golden lifeline that is Bang Hokyung.
‘But was it too much to ask for just one day off?’
Apparently, it was.
There’s no way Bang Hokyung wouldn’t recognize the talent others saw in me. No, he probably saw even more than they did.
“You held back a bit yesterday, didn’t you?”
For example, he likely noticed I didn’t sing ‘For You, a Moment’ with my full heart. But I didn’t answer his question. There was no point in denying it to someone who already knew, and besides—
“Come on, didn’t you nail it in one take? How could a half-hearted performance produce a song like that?”
The man sitting with Bang Hokyung cut off my response.
“I enjoyed your singing. I asked Producer Bang here to arrange a meeting.”
“Thank you. I’m Han Yujin.”
I shook the man’s outstretched hand and bowed, contrasting Bang Hokyung’s casual speech with polite formality. Then I asked,
“So, why did a PD want to meet me?”
The man’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You know me?”
No, I don’t.
Even with my years in the industry, I don’t memorize the faces of drama PDs, only music show ones. But—
“Given the situation, who else but a drama PD would listen to a guide track from last night, not even a finished product? I heard it’s for a drama OST, even with the embargo.”
You get a rough sense of things when you see how the industry works.
So, why did this PD want to meet me?
‘Well, I can guess.’
I’m not in a position to push, so I’ll hear him out.
“No point hiding it, but I’m surprised you figured it out. I’m Yoon Chanwoo, the PD for the drama your song will be in, as you guessed.”
Right, that’s the name.
Yoon Chanwoo, a PD with countless notable works, including ‘Second Time with You’, but in my timeline, he retired over a decade ago, so his name only clicked after he said it.
“Yoon PD, enough introductions. Get to the point.”
“Haha, alright.”
Bang Hokyung’s “keep it brief” attitude never fails to impress.
“Ahem, Yujin-ssi, was it?”
Clearing his throat, Yoon Chanwoo wiped the awkward smile off his face and called my name. Then—
“I want to use your song in this drama.”
At his words, I mentally raised the corners of my mouth.
‘As planned.’
The first step toward Zia’s happiness seems to have been taken quite smoothly.