Seokjin watched Anna's face of surprise and smiled to himself as they both sat on her couch. She had been beside herself when he told her his news. As he had gotten out of the bus, he had not taken more than four steps before a man and woman stopped him. They introduced themselves as talent scouts for a small agency that was in the area looking for actors for small, character roles.

At first, he had been highly skeptical. He laughed a bit and thanked them as he walked away. But it seemed that they followed him to the site where his class was meeting, and they were impressed with his acting skills.

As he walked back to the bus stop, they again approached him. This time, some of his classmates were with him and verified that their agency was legitimate. From that point on, they quickly scheduled a meeting for him the following day.

At the meeting, he was offered a small role in an indie film. It was just the type of project he'd been looking for. The burden of the film was not on him, but his part allowed him to make a considerable contribution. And it would likely gain him attention in the industry.

"Oh, my God!" Anna squealed again. Her eyes scanned the script he had handed to her. "I really, really can't believe this! Why didn't you tell me before?"

He sighed. "I wanted to wait and see what came of it. I'm still in shock myself, but there it is. My first script for my first role. You can see it's not that big a deal. It's a very small part."

"But it is very impactful," she said, still perusing the script. "You're the jilted lover who starts all the complications for the main character."

"Yes, but I'm also only on screen for a total of about fifteen minutes--I'm sure less after editing," he replied with a smile. He couldn't help but share in her joy, however.

Anna reached out and placed her hand over his. "You'll be great. Who knows? They might rewrite your part. I mean, who'd believe the main character would choose someone else over you? I bet you're even prettier than she is!"

Seokjin laughed louder. "No! Cathy Colman is incredible! She's beautiful. I can't believe I'll get the chance to work with her."

"Oh, you must tell me all about her," Anna said. "She's so talented." She paused. "And I don't believe a word about her being difficult. She seems like a really good person."

He shrugged. "Who knows? I heard that she can be a bit demanding, and none of the big studios were willing to take a chance on her. That's why she signed on with this indie project. But, it's none of my business. This is a great opportunity. Just having Cathy Colman as the star is guaranteed publicity for the film. And the director, Allison Arnold, was very successful in her first two movies. This will be her third, and possibly her big breakthrough."

Anna squeezed his hand again. "I'm so happy for you, Jin. Your big break. Who knows? Maybe you'll become some big movie star, and I'll only be able to tell people my story about how I knew you when."

"It's such a small part, but I'm hoping it will lead to something bigger."

She beamed at him. "Oh, I know it will."

Her happiness was infectious, and he impulsively pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for always believing in me." He felt her slightly stiffen in his arms and was about to let go, when he felt her arms go around him.

For a moment, it seemed his heart stopped before it suddenly began to beat faster. It felt so good to hold her in his arms. He pulled back a little and looked down into her face. God! She was so beautiful! When had she become such a stunner? He let his gaze go to her lips, and he felt his own lips part with anticipation. He leaned closer.

Then she pulled herself out of his embrace. "So when do you start?"

He stayed frozen in place, his arms feeling cold and empty. He moved back on the couch, but he could still feel his heart racing. He had to remind himself that they were friends.