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I walked back to my hotel in a daze. I’d gone in the wrong direction, not noticing until it occurred to me how long I’d been walking, and I realised my body had moved on autopilot. I’d ended up at the bus stop I’d used when I’d lived with Jihoon. Cursing myself, I turned back and headed to the hotel I had one more night in. Not because I was going anywhere else, but because my stay was only paid for for tonight, and from tomorrow, I was officially cut off.

My phone chimed with an incoming email, but I didn’t open it. I knew what it said, but I didn’t want to read it on my phone while walking.

Big business required big screens, which meant stopping by a coffee shop next to the hotel and ordering an iced coffee, so that when I sat on the bed with my laptop open ten minutes later, I was somewhat mentally prepared.

Miss Thompson,

Further to our meeting today, this email confirms the immediate termination of your temporary assignment with the GVibes tour, and general employment with ENT.

With effect from today:

-Your tour accreditation and access credentials have been revoked.

-Your per diem allowance has ceased.

-ENT will no longer cover accommodation, travel or other expenses associated with the tour.

-Any future travel arrangements, including onward or return travel from Seoul, will be your own responsibility and at your own expense.

-Any outstanding fees and approved expenses incurred prior to the termination of your assignment will be processed in the usual manner.

The email didn’t say anything I didn’t already know, but seeing it in writing, in a format I would file away under business-related correspondence like it was any other email was somehow surreal.

I’d been fired.

My chin trembled, and then I began to giggle.

Me

Got fired.

Becka

Again? You’re making a habit of this.

[Sent 12:06]

I held my stomach, put my laptop on the bed and laughed until tears rolled down my face. A few minutes later, with an aching jaw, and wet cheeks, I realised I wasn’t quite laughing anymore. Not full-on crying, but maybe something in the vicinity.

I dropped my head into my hands and tried to take deep breaths as the stress of the past few days dropped onto my shoulders and stayed there, not sliding off like it had done when I’d been with Jihoon. He hadn’t fixed the problems, but he’d made bearing them easier.

Now, in a hotel room, on my own, in a city I had no reason to be in any longer, I felt starkly alone, and at the pointy end of the repercussions of loving someone the world had put a pre-owned price tag on.

I looked at my watch. Not too late. I slid my phone across the bed and called Jihoon. He picked up almost immediately.

“Ky,” he sighed, like he’d been holding his breath until the moment I called. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. And then, “No.” My voice wobbled, and I took a shuddering inhale to push back the wave of fear biding its time somewhere between my chest and throat. “ENT terminated my contract. I’m off the tour.”

Jihoon was silent save for the sympathetic noise he made. This wasn’t a surprise to either of us, but just because you saw the brick heading towards your face, it didn’t make it hurt any less when it broke your nose.

“What will you do?”

I kind of loved that he didn’t jump in to offer solutions and fix it. He was asking me what my next steps were because he believed I could handle myself. And while there was still a part of me that would have loved for my rich, famous boyfriend to rush in and rescue me, to pull strings to fix my career, I also didn’t want that for myself.

“I need to figure out what to do, professionally,” I fretted, drawing my bottom lip between my teeth for a moment. “I have options, but maybe it would be better to lay low for a while. I could always go stay with my folks for a while – not because I’m hiding,” I said quickly, as if I needed to say that part out loud. “It would make sense. If I’m not earning, then I can’t pay rent.”

“Kaiya, I–” Jihoon tried to say.