First Corner

Chapter 2 – “First Corner”

The music swelled around her. The soft thrum of bass, the shimmering violins waving through the gala. But Areum couldn’t hear any of it.

Not after that.

Not after seeing him.

Her breath and heartbeat sharply accelerated. Not enough for anyone in the room to notice, but long enough for her fingers to tighten around the microphone in her hand.

The spotlight suddenly felt too hot. The stage too small.

Yet there in front of her was someone she thought was an immeasurable distance away.

Nick Young.

Older, a little taller, and somewhat more charming.

Yet somehow, this was definitely the same boy who cheered for her from the cheap auditorium seats.

Forcing her fingers to relax on the microphone, a skill developed from years of training as an idol, she stepped forward further into the spotlight.

Heartbeat full of chaos, she smiles and turns to the crowd.

Steadying her breath, she lifts her mic and lets a bright idol smile bloom across her face.

“Annyeonghaseyo, naneun Lee Areum-imnida!” she says cheerfully, bowing her head with practiced grace. “Cheoneun oneureun galaeseo, Areum-ui bitcheoreom jageun seonmureul deuriniwaesseoyo. Gamsahamnida!”

(Hello, I’m Lee Areum! Tonight at this gala, I came to bring you a small gift of beauty. Thank you!)

The audience responded with warm applause, Areum’s charm and energy electrifying the crowd. She straightened, smile still flawless, and continued on with her voice still light and warm:

““Oneureun Orion Electronics wa Enstone TS reul wihan teukbyeolhan bamieyo. Modeun bun deurege jeulgoum-eul deuril su iss-eose neomu gippeoyo.”

(Tonight is a special night for Orion Electronics and Enstone TS. I’m so happy I can bring some joy to all of you.)

Another bow was met with another round of applause. Absolute perfection on her part.

Nick still stood there, wide-eyed. For someone who could react with pinpoint precision behind the wheel of an F1 car moving over 200 mph, suddenly every muscle in his body felt too heavy to move.

“She’s so…captivating,” Nick thought in his head, “She really achieved her dream, huh.”

As Areum lifted the mic and began the first verse of the song, the room exhaled with her.

Except Nick. He could hardly breathe. The moment she started singing, something inside of him snapped into place, like an ancient key finally reunited with a rusted lock. Every memory of her came flooding in, faster than any speed he had ever driven.

“That voice…” it was much fuller, stronger and much more refined than he had last witnessed. Nick, and everyone in the hall, were enchanted by her technique, stage presence, her grace.

The crowd seemed as if they were transported to a different world by Areum’s voice, one of peace and beauty.

Except Nick. He was indeed transported. However, for him it was different.

He was in that tiny auditorium again. Cheap seats and terrible acoustics.

Despite that, the teenage Areum standing under a flickering spotlight, singing and smiling at a young Nick was enough to construct an everlasting residence in his heart, one that still stood, reenergized by this very moment.

“How did she become this,” Nick thought. “How did she become…even more beautiful?”

As Areum’s voice began to crescendo toward the chorus, Nick realized something.

Here and now, Nick was no longer the confident and cool rookie the world had noticed. He was back to the kid who had fallen hopelessly in love with someone who had chosen to walk a different path into a different world.

Nick was pulled out of his trance by the end of the song. The final note faded, lingering in the air like the smoke of a recently-smothered candle.

For a second, the ballroom was silent before erupting into a loud, almost overwhelming applause. Cameras began flashing and guests raised their glasses.

Areum bowed deeply, her hands clasped in front of her, her posture remaining elegant through every movement, her smile soft and bright. As she straightened from her bow, the stage lights dimmed to signal the end of her performance. The event staff began ushering her towards a private area.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Lee Areum!” the host from earlier had reappeared on the stage. “We’re glad to have you all! Please continue to enjoy the event!”

To the side, Nick had finally descended off-stage. He faced Marcus who seemed a little concerned.

“Nick, are you alright?”

“Yeah, sorry just got a little overwhelmed,” Nick replied, taking a deep breath. “I’m going to go use the bathroom and recompose”

“Yeah sure, don’t take too long”.

In a private room nearby, staff members swarmed like a coordinated attack.

“Areum-nim, incredible performance!”

“Your vocals were great as always”

“Let’s adjust your makeup. We need to take more pictures for social media-“

Areum nodded and was seated in a makeup booth. The lights surrounding the mirror formed a sort-of halo around her, indeed a sign that she was something of an angel in this world.

A makeup artist began preparing to dab her cheeks. A stylist adjusted her dress. Her manager began to scroll up and down a spreadsheet on a tablet. Closing her eyes, Areum sat still as a statue, while the room began to buzz like a beehive. These types of social events had a different dynamic than music shows or concerts, being quieter, stiffer, and consequently more suffocating. Everything was made to be more formal than necessary. Gestures, glances, words needed to all be carefully well-planned.

Of course, Areum knew the drill. Years of media training had prepared her for these types of situations.

Areum’s makeup artist leaned in, brushing a soft highlight across her cheekbones.

“Areum-nim, a little brighter for the photos,” she whispered.

Her stylist crouched beside her, carefully adjusting a hem on the dress.

“This dress keeps catching on the carpet. Try not to turn too quickly when moving around.”

A PR staffer hovered nearby, talking into an earpiece.

“After photos, we’ll have her greet some of the sponsors. She won’t really be speaking, just handshakes and maybe one or two photos if they insist.”

Areum listened to it all like someone listens to rain through a window, present yet detached.

The halo created by the makeup lights surrounded her face. She looked angelic.

Perfect. Exactly what she needed to be.

But in her mind, she kept returning, gently, almost shyly, to a single moment.

Seeing him.

Nick Young.

Standing there on stage, as if someone had hit pause on him.

“He really looked shocked. Like he never expected to see me,” she thought, a small smile forming through the corners of her mouth. “The boy who used to dream with stars in his eyes. He made it. He made it to F1. I’m so happy, I always knew he would.”

The memories of his old excitement, how he used to talk about driving to her with passion, played in her mind. While other kids went out to the movies or the mall on weekends, he was busy competing in junior racing series to make a name for himself. She remembered how, as someone coming from a normal upbringing, Nick had to rely on sponsors for funding, and thus always had to be performing at a high level at every event.

It made her smile glow that much brighter, knowing someone dear to her had achieved their dreams, just like she had.

Areum felt oddly…light. Almost giddy.

Her makeup artist stood u. “Oh that is perfect, Areum-nim. That expression is beautiful. I’m all finished.”

Her manager looked up from the tablet. “Alright, let’s start taking some pictures.”

Areum rose gracefully, lifting her dress to make sure it cleared the chair. She followed her manager toward the hallway, a faint smile still tugging at her lips. She didn’t fight it.

The corridor shimmered like a tunnel made purely of gold. Spotlights ebbed and flowed over the sponsor banners, camera flashes serving as falling stars all over the venue. The atmosphere was electric, yet warm at the same time.

Areum stepped into the corridor, escorted by her team. Her dress flowed with each step, as if the moon itself had taken the dress’ form. The camera flashes began shifting their focus toward her, the space erupting with clicks and gasps.

Her presence alone was enough to shift the energy of the room to orbit around her.

Beautiful.

Radiant.

PERFECT.

Bowing to the clusters of executives, she greeted each with perfect composure. Her smiles were enacted with extreme precision; indeed, she was one of the most iconic idols in the industry.

As she continued, her manager gestured toward a group in the middle of the hall.

“Areum-nim, this is Enstone TS, the racing team that Orion Electronics will be sponsoring”

Standing among them was Nick.

At first, neither moved.

What seemed a split second to everyone else, was an eternity for Nick and Areum.

Nick stood there, in his tailored black suit. The golden spotlights framed him in a soft glow, almost masking the stunned expression on his face.

Areum’s steps slowed.

A hush fell across the corridor.

Photographers, executives, staff, everyone sensed something shift. Even the lights seemed to soften, the ambient music faintly swelling as if offering an original soundtrack to the moment.

Areum’s heart suddenly lifted, becoming enveloped in an unexpected, yet warm feeling.

“He looks…older,” she mused. “But it’s definitely him”

Nick swallowed, finding the nerves to compose himself.

“This is real. It’s really her” he thought. He had faced down over 300 km/h speeds in a corner, yet this moment shook him far more.

She stopped in front of him.

Perfect posture.

Soft smile.

Eyes shimmering.

The moment was briefly punctuated by Areum’s manager.

“Areum-ssi, this is Nick Young, rookie driver for Enstone TS. Mr. Young, this is Lee Areum, an honor for both sides”

Nick and Areum’s eyes locked.

And suddenly, the world was silent.

Areum extended her hand, the gesture was unmistakably formal, though her warm gaze was equally as apparent.

Nick reached out slowly, as if with reverence, afraid that she might dissolve into thin air in front of him. His fingers brushed hers.

A spark.

Not that anyone in the audience could see, but powerful enough that both inhaled sharply.

The cameras once again erupted with flashes, framing their silhouettes like the opening shot of a TV drama.

Nick’s voice broke the silence first, looking her in the eye with a faint smile:

“Miss Lee Areum, it’s an honor. Your performance earlier was exceptional. I have to say, I am quite the huge fan of your music”

Nick bowed with immaculate form, voice even and cool.

“Why not have a little fun with this?” he thought. Looking back into her eyes, he continued, this time with a slightly softer and more relaxed voice.

He continued.

“Getting to meet you was quite the surprise. Though, I suppose someone as famous as you must be used to people staring”

Areum blinked, somewhat confused.

“I mean, half the room practically forgot to breathe when you walked in, the other half having their hearts skip a beat. Understandable, I suppose.”

Areum blinked once again.

“He did NOT just say that,” she thought.

He remembered her.

Of course he did, he was merely pretending to not.

Areum, slightly intrigued by a tinge of annoyance, smiled and matched his energy.

“Well, that sort of things tends to happen.”

Her voice carried a gentle melody, yet also giving illusory formality. She withdrew her hand, but not before realizing her pulse had begun to flutter, like soft wingbeats beneath her skin.

This was a difference from the shy and awkward boy she once knew. She wondered where this smooth confidence came from, and even briefly thought that this wasn’t the first time he had said something like this.

As she jumped to conclusions in her head, Nick’s lips curved into a gentle smirk.

“Oh I don’t doubt it,” he replied smoothly. “I imagine you break hearts just by ordering coffee.”

Areum’s smile sharpened by half-a-millimeter. Yet, she still retained her idol’s sense of poise and perfection.

“You seem very confident in your assumptions, Mr. Young. Tell me, what was it that you were thinking when I walked in?”

Nick tilted his head just slightly. He had been caught. He remembered that she had been quite good at teasing when they were younger. For a heartbeat, the two sustained eye contact. It was here that Areum realized something:

Nick was enjoying this. Enjoying her reaction.

Lowering his voice, Nick answered.

“Beautiful.”

Areum’s breath caught, lightly, but enough to feel it.

Before being able to come up with a response, her manager stepped forward with a polite bow.

“Areum-ssi, we need to take photos elsewhere,” her manager butted in, “Mr. Young, pleased to meet you but we must be elsewhere.”

Bowing before turning around, Areum stole an annoyed glance at Nick before following her staff farther down the corridor.

As she ran the gauntlet of back-to-back handshakes, she continued maintaining her practiced, yet serene smile.

But her thoughts?

Chaos, wrapped in beautiful, soft silk.

“When did he learn to talk like that?” she thought. “Was he just trying to tease me?”

Exhaling softly, Areum tried to lower her heartbeat through rhythmic breathing. The fluttering in her stomach was something that confused her just as much as it irritated her.

There was no reason, no reason at all, for someone to have pierced through her heart’s armor so easily, and so softly.

But it did.

And the part that annoyed her most of all?

She liked it.

Maybe not enough in the current moment to admit it, but just enough that she had caught herself smiling. As someone trained to put on fake, and sometimes forced, smiles day-in and day-out, the idea that someone could turn hers into a real one, both startled her, and deep down made her curious.

A stylist at her side whispered, “Areum-nim, please keep your head straight.”

“Ah—” she cleared her throat, returning to perfect poise. “Yes, sorry.”

She took another deep breath to calm.

But her gaze drifted – involuntarily – back toward where Nick stood, still surrounded by his staff and executives.

But he wasn’t looking at them.

He was looking at her.

And when their eyes met, he refused to look away.

Her heart, indeed had stumbled.

“That idiot,” she thought. “That absolute idiot…”

But her lips, despite years of training and practice, betrayed her.

They softened into a smile.

Marcus spotted Nick the moment the photos ended.

Nick had barely taken two steps before Marcus grabbed his arm and dragged him into a quieter corner near the champagne bar.

“Okay,” Marcus hissed, “WHAT was that?”

Nick blinked innocently. “What do you mean?”

“Oh my god—” Marcus stared at him. “You were flirting.”

Nick feigned offense at the statement. “I was just being polite.”

Marcus jabbed a finger into Nick’s chest. “YOU CALL THAT POLITE? You practically set the room on fire. You were smirking the whole damn time, being a menace.”

Nick shrugged, straightening his jacket. “I was just…making conversation.”

“No, you got the idea to tease Korea’s biggest idol,” Marcus deadpanned. “In front of hundreds of cameras at a sponsor event.”

Nick paused.

“I mean I guess…”

Marcus groaned, rubbing his temples. “You weren’t like this even earlier today!”

Nick had begun to tune out the conversation, deciding to instead glance down the corridor.

Areum was still there – smiling politely at all the different guests she interacted with. She looked impossibly radiant, stirring up long buried memories by the second.

His expression softened concurrently, all the bravado slipping away.

“…I didn’t think I’d see her ever again, let alone here at this event,” he thought.

“Well, you could have introduced yourself in worse ways I supposed,” Marcus pined, hands on hips. “I’m going to go find myself some drinks. You’re not old enough to have a glass of scotch so you’re going to have to find something else to do.”

Marcus walked away with a handwave, slowly disappearing into the sea of velvet suits and glittering gowns. The moment he disappeared, the noise of the gala seemed to swell – laughter, clinking glasses, PR chatter and cameras clicks.

Nick stayed where he was, half-hidden behind a marble pillar, eyes still fixed on where Areum had gone.

Surrounded by executives, yet smiling all around, she had looked absolutely radiant to him under the golden lights.

To him, surprisingly, she was still the same girl who he would support in the music classroom back in middle school. The same girl he would always sit in front-row for at music recitals.

Yet at the same time, she was a different person. She had definitely matured in the years since he’d seen her. A lot had changed. She seemed much more confident, more refined, her success and fame serving as evidence that the path she followed was definitely for her.

She mirrored Nick. Both have become so successful at such young ages.

His chest tightened; the nostalgia of seeing his childhood friend was both refreshing…and painful

“Yeah,” he exhaled slightly. “I need some air.”

He slipped away from the noise of the main hall, navigating a long hallway until he found an ornate glass door cracked open. The night breeze was beginning to drift inside, cool and sharp, it brought the scent of city rain and distant traffic.

Nick opened the door and stepped outside. The balcony stretched wide, framed by white pillars, with lights from adjacent buildings casting delicate strings between them. Below, the headlights and street signs complimented the stars above, creating a melting pot of light.

Nick inhaled, the cold air steadying him. Taking a few steps toward the railing, he leaned over it, letting the view carry him from his thoughts.

Or so he thought, when behind him, the door opened.

He turned.

And there she was.

“Mr. Young,” she said first, her brow lifting slightly. A teasing echo of their earlier exchange. “Didn’t expect to find you hiding out here.”

Nick leaned lightly against the railing, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Hiding? No. Just taking a… well…sort-of a break.”

“From the cameras,” she guessed, crossing her arms loosely. “Or the sponsors?”

“I don’t mind either,” he admitted. “But mostly from Marcus. He had… opinions about our interaction earlier.”

Areum’s eyes narrowed, playful annoyance bubbling up.

“You mean the part where you pretended not to know me and acted like you were some hotshot smooth-talker?”

Nick blinked, caught completely off guard.

“I—I mean—what do you—”

“You were trying to be a tease,” she said, stepping closer, gaze sharp but amused. “Weren’t you?”

Nick shrugged lightly, a tiny smile betraying him.

“…Maybe I was.”

“Why?”

He hesitated — just for a heartbeat — then exhaled.

“…I didn’t know what else to say.”

Areum stilled.

Honesty hit her harder than teasing ever could.

She hadn’t expected him to answer that simply. That softly.

Nick looked up at the sky, fingers tapping the railing before falling still.

“I was really surprised,” he said quietly. “To see you here. To see you again. One moment I’m shaking hands with executives, and then you’re right there in front of me. Smiling like you used to.”

He paused — the weight of memory pressing gently against the silence.

“And then suddenly you’re… Lee Areum,” he continued, his voice low but warm. “One of Korea’s top idols. A global superstar. Achieving everything you dreamed of. And on that stage tonight… you looked so happy. I couldn’t be happier for you.”

The city’s hum filled the pause that followed — soft, distant, giving them room to breathe.

“…I didn’t expect to see you either,” Areum said finally.

She moved to the railing beside him, resting her arms on the cool metal. Their shoulders were close — nearly brushing — but neither stepped away.

“I thought you’d changed,” she said quietly. “I thought you had changed into some cool and confident playboy, like those old school racers you used to tell me about. But deep down, you’re still the same Nick I knew. Still speaking before thinking. Still smug. Still annoying.”

Nick laughed, his breath visible in the cold air.

“Annoying? You didn’t seem to mind back there.”

“I minded,” she said, chin lifting. “The whole time.”

“Liar.”

She bit back a smile — the real kind, not the idol kind.

Silence settled between them, warm and suspended.

It wasn’t empty — it was full.

Full of years, memories, the strange impossible comfort of falling back into step with someone you never truly forgot.

The breeze shifted, brushing a strand of Areum’s hair across her cheek.

She let it fall naturally, her voice a gentle murmur:

“You look happier. Really. You made it to the very top. I know it couldn’t have been easy — on or off the track.”

Nick’s gaze softened.

“I am,” he said. “It’s not easy, and I’ve still got a long way to go… but I’m happy.”

“That’s good,” she said, turning to look at him fully.

Her eyes were soft, searching — seeing not the rising F1 star, but the boy who once shared dreams with her in small halls and cheap seats.

“You deserve it,” she added.

Nick held her gaze. The night breeze began to curl gently around them, surrounding the pair with the scent of the city, distant smoke from street food vendors and the hum of nightlife underneath the crystalline skyline.

Nick glanced sideways at her. In this moment, she wasn’t posing or smiling for a camera. She was just…Areum.

He swallowed once before speaking.

“You know,” he began, voice low, “you still do the thing with your eyebrows when you’re annoyed.”

Areum blinked. “What thing?”

“That.” He pointed. Areum’s eyebrows were scrunched. “Yeah. Exactly that.”

Areum rolled her eyes, betrayed by the smile tugging her lips.

“Crazy, that my annoyed expression comes out when I’m with you. You remember the weirdest details.”

Nick shrugged. “If you spend enough time staring and admiring, you catch on to those kinda things”

Areum’s heart fluttered for a moment, something that only she knew. For a quiet moment, their shoulders briefly touched as the wind shifted directions.

Areum spoke first.

“Does it…feel strange?” she asked softly. “Being here like this? Talking to me again?”

Nick didn’t hesitate to answer.

“No,” he said. “Honestly, there’s…a lot I want to talk to you about. A lot I want to ask.”

“Me too. I—”

“NICK! THERE YOU ARE”

Both froze.

The balcony door slammed open.

Marcus burst out, panting lightly, one hand bracing against the door frame to hold him as he recovered his breath.

“Bro, I’ve been looking for you everywhere—oh.”

He noticed Areum.

The closeness.

The tension.

The fact that Nick looked like he had just been interrupted before almost confessing something life-changing.

Marcus straightened his jacket aggressively.

“Ohhhhhhh,” he mouthed.

“Yes,” Nick deadpanned.

“No,” Areum said at the exact same time.

Marcus nodded slowly. “Right. Understood.”

Nick shot him a death glare, but Areum, surprisingly, was biting her lip trying to contain laughter.

Marcus awkwardly stepped backward, half inside, half outside the balcony like a confused NPC.

“So, um,” he said carefully, “Nick, they need you for… something. Very important. Sponsor… handshake… thing.”

“The good luck was bound to run out soon,” Nick replied flatly.

“Even Cinderella had to go home ad midnight,” Marcus said without shame. “Please come inside anyway before I spontaneously combust.”

Areum laughed — soft and bright — and the sound made Nick’s stern expression dissolve instantly.

She touched his arm lightly.

Just for a moment.

“You should go,” she said. Her voice was warm. “You’re still the guest of honor tonight.”

Nick exhaled through his nose, his annoyance suddenly being replaced with a different feeling as he looked down and noticed her holding his arm.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “I will.”

Areum dipped her head, eyes glittering.

“We’ll talk again.”

Nick held her gaze.

“Count on it.”

As he walked back inside with Marcus, he glanced back one last time.

Areum stood at the railing, dress catching the moonlight again — almost glowing — a small smile on her lips.

As Nick stepped back into the main hall of the gala, the warm buzz of music, chatter, and clinking glasses felt far too bright, especially given what had just happened on the balcony.

Marcus sighed as he walked beside him.

“I leave you alone for five minutes, and somehow you end up in your own little romance drama. Not only that, you skipped to like Episode 8 in the span of an hour.”

Nick shoved him lightly. “Shut up.”

“I’m just saying,” Marcus continued, lowering his voice, “if my timing had been slightly worse and you two would have been a LOT closer, and god forbid someone else saw you two first”

Nick scanned the room, jaw tightening. “Drop it.”

Marcus smirked. “Fine. But you do know how hard it would be for someone like her to fall in love. Not that I would know more on the subject than you, but apparently here in Korea, fans are ruthless when it comes to one of their dear idols even having an inkling of love. Not that I would really care, but that’s how it is.”

Before Nick could respond, a group of fancy-suited men approached. These were Orion Electronics executives, champagne glasses in hand.

“Mr. Young!” one of them greeted. “We wanted to congratulate you again on signing with Enstone. We are all looking forward to the season opener in two weeks.”

Nick straightened immediately.

“Thank you very much. I’m excited for the race in Australia. The team has been preparing nonstop, and I can only hope to give them the results they deserve.”

“Your pre-season pace looked promising,” another sponsor added. “How are you feeling about Melbourne?”

Nick nodded.
“It’s a tough circuit, but I’ve raced on it before in Formula Three. I’m confident we can deliver a strong start.”

Marcus chimed in, grin returning.
“Nick here’s been practically living in-between the track and the simulator. I’m surprised he remembers what the outside world looks like outside a cockpit.”

Laughter rippled through the group.

“Ambition is good,” one sponsor said. “Just make sure you get some rest too. We need our rookie star sharp.”

Nick bowed his head slightly.
“I will.”

As the conversation continued, light commotion across the hall caught his attention.

Areum.

Surrounded by fans, flashes, and a circle of PR managers, she stood like a living museum painting. Beautiful, yet many barriers in between. The cameras burst around her in rapid clicks, voices calling her name, the spotlights consistently making her glow as if she had descended from the heavens.

She smiled for each photo.

Perfectly.

Effortlessly.

She belonged to that world entirely. She had dedicated her youth to that dream and, as soon as the opportunity came, she left everything to move to Korea years ago.

Yet, despite the time gap between then and now, Nick’s heart had continued exactly where it left off.

“She’s… really famous,” Marcus muttered beside him, almost impressed. “Not that drivers in this sport don’t get famous and popular, but that is hard to compare, hard to even begin to fathom”

Nick didn’t respond.

Not out of disagreement. But because he couldn’t look away.

Her world was bright, polished, orchestrated and crafted to perfection.

His was fast, dangerous, unpredictable and integrated with machinery.

What had been two concurrent hearts were now two different universes spinning under the same chandelier ceiling.

Areum’s gaze flickered upward — for just a second — and found him across the room.
Her expression softened, a tiny, fleeting smile breaking through the idol mask.

Then her manager tapped her shoulder, and she vanished.

A final flash went off. She turned away.

Nick exhaled slowly.

Marcus nudged him.

“You okay?”

“…Yeah,” Nick said quietly. “Just… thinking.”

Marcus lifted a brow.

“About Australia?”

Nick looked toward the balcony doors, then back at the spot where Areum had stood moments ago.

“…About a lot of things.”