The sun was shining brightly, casting golden streaks through the tall studio windows. A gentle breeze rustled the trees outside, making the curtains sway like lazy dancers. It was one of those rare perfect days, one that almost made work feel inviting.
Manager John walked towards the studio with a cup of coffee in hand. As he reached the open door, he paused, just about to knock but stopped when he saw Elisa inside, fully absorbed in her computer.
Dressed in a soft beige sweater and cotton joggers, Elisa sat curled in her chair, her long, tousled hair brushing against her cheeks. She leaned toward the screen, biting her lower lip in focus. The morning sun lit one side of her face, making her look like a character straight out of her own webcomic.
John smiled to himself. "She seems very focused. I guess she finally found an idea for the next series," he thought.
Stepping inside quietly, he placed her coffee on the desk without saying a word, careful not to disturb her. He turned to leave, but
"OMG! I got Cinderella!"
Startled, John stopped and looked back at her in disbelief.
"What? What do you mean?" he asked.
Elisa swiveled in her chair, beaming. "I was doing this 'Which Disney princess are you?' quiz, and I got Cinderella! Isn't this cool?"
John blinked. "Are you being serious right now?"
"Yup! I was hoping for Mulan, but Cinderella is okay too," she said with a proud smile.
John sighed, mentally facepalming. So much for focused genius.
"I should go for another quiz… let me see…" Elisa mumbled to herself. "Which green vegetable are you?"
"What-"
*
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of SJ Entertainment, the CEO, Mr. Han, sat deep in thought. His brows were furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. Just then-
Thud!
"What the hell!?" he shouted, jumping as his secretary dropped a large box onto his desk.
"What's all this?" he demanded.
"Fan letters," the secretary replied calmly. "Asking where your superstar is."
Mr. Han sighed. "But we already told them he's on break."
"We said six months. It's been almost two years."
Mr. Han ran a hand through his hair. "It's not my fault! He doesn't pick up my calls anymore. He only called once to tell me to stop disturbing him!"
"Should we end his contract?" the secretary offered.
"I can't. He's still the biggest name in the business. The man has fans going crazy without even revealing his face. If people are this obsessed while he's in hiding, just imagine the chaos when he finally shows himself."
The secretary hesitated. "Reporters are asking for interviews."
"Tell them I'm out of the city," Mr. Han snapped.
"But, sir"
"Just do it!"
As the secretary left, Mr. Han leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "Where are you, 'K'?"
*
Night had blanketed the city in quiet stillness. Inside her dimly lit studio, Elisa sat in front of her drawing tablet, the soft glow from the screen flickering across her tired face. Her stylus hovered in mid-air, ready to strike but the canvas remained empty.
With a glance at the clock, she sighed. 2:00 AM.
She leaned back in her chair, tugging off her glasses and rubbing her temples.
"Tsk. What's wrong with me? Why can't I think of anything?"
Her phone buzzed, and she answered on speaker.
"The company wants at least a rough plan of your next story," her manager's voice came through.
"I still haven't come up with an idea," she admitted.
"We've been avoiding them for months, Elisa. If this continues, they'll drop us."
"I know…"
"Think carefully," he said before ending the call.
Frustrated, she brushed her hair back and shut off her screen. Rising from her chair, she stepped out onto the balcony. The cold air stung her cheeks, but she welcomed it.
Resting her arms on the railing, Elisa stared out at the sleeping city, earphones in, her favorite playlist by the mysterious singer K filling her ears.
"I thought this was my passion… then why am I not able to write anything?" she whispered. "Why do I feel so lost? So useless? I feel like.. I.. I just want to run away."
She squeezed her eyes shut. "No. Elisa, You can't think like that."
Shaking her head, she muttered, "You can't just give up on everything. You've worked too hard to quit now."
She looked up at the sky, the stars were shining brightly; but her eyes were searching for the moon, which was hidden behind those gray clouds..
With this lost hope in her eyes, Elisa dropped her gaze, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"I need a break…"