fully, anyways. She was half-cropped out, her face barely visible, as if So Yeon had posted a picture of her without actually posting her. She couldn't tell if it was an accident or just plain villa

she was on a runway, mimicking what she imagined to be the perfect model strut. She smiled to herself, acting like a star. "Yeah, that's it. You're a model. You can do this," she whispered to herself, pretending to ignore the reality that lay just outside her tiny apartment. She straightened her posture, imagining the scene. "Hi, yes, I'm available for the shoot. Absolutely, I can be there by tomorrow. Oh, and I'm great with the camera, too. I know how to work my angles." She tilted her head slightly to the side, adjusting her expression in the mirror as if an agent were standing right there. "No, I'm not nervous. It's just another job, right? Just another runway to conquer. I'm ready for the big time." Her lips curved into a smile she practiced too many times, and she paused, looking at herself. For a moment, the fantasy felt almost real. Almost. But then her phone ping from the bed, pulling her out of the dream. Reality came crashing back. It was ridiculous, but it felt good. For a moment, Yujin could almost believe that she was someone else-someone with a life like So Yeon's. Someone who mattered. Someone who wasn't stuck, scrolling through job listings, feeling like a bystander. As she stood there, pretending, she realized something. It wasn't the dress that made her feel like a star-it was the escape. The way she could shut out the rest of the world, even if just for a few minutes, and imagine that her life was more than this. "Maybe," she whispered, "I'll post it tomorrow." But deep down, Yujin knew it was just another way of escaping the fact that, outside of this room, nothing had changed. A Night of Bad Decisions The phone rang again, Mina's name flashing across the screen. Yujin groaned, pulling the phone to her ear. "Yujin! Let's go out!" Mina's voice was as energetic as always, crackling with excitement. "I'm not in the mood," Yujin muttered, curling up on her bed, still wearing the dress she had put on earlier to take some half-hearted Instagram pictures. The dress wasn't bad-it just didn't feel like it belonged to her. "Come on!" Mina's voice