Chapter Two: Happiness Is

Happiness is a backpack, a camera, and you.

—

Korean? Rachel Liu paused for a moment. The girl was still anxiously explaining herself. Normally, Rachel wouldn’t get involved in such matters, but encountering this in a foreign country softened her heart.

She walked over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ji-eun Han was desperate—her English was terrible, and now this girl speaking fluent Korean felt like a godsend. With almost palpable relief, she detailed her predicament to Rachel Liu.

Rachel then relayed the information to the front desk, quickly receiving a definite answer.

Ji-eun Han had been scammed. She hadn’t booked a room here, and she wasn’t signed up for any tour group.

“That’s impossible, it can’t be!” Ji-eun Han protested, unwilling to accept the truth. She clung tightly to Rachel’s hand. “My friend booked it for me, my best friend. She wouldn’t trick me.”

Ji-eun Han’s anxious expression tugged at Rachel’s heart. “Forget it. Let’s just figure out where you can stay tonight.”

Ji-eun Han looked troubled. “I… don’t have much money. I don’t know where else I can stay.”

Rachel thought, she still wanted to go shopping, so she said, “Why don’t you rest in my room for now, and look for a hotel online?”

Her valuables were all with her, so there was nothing to worry about.

Ji-eun Han was overwhelmed with gratitude, thanking her repeatedly.

Rachel waved her hand, her expression awkward and stiff. Truthfully, she wasn’t used to dealing with girls who seemed so instantly friendly and adorable.

The receptionist led Ji-eun Han into the elevator. Only after the doors closed did Rachel finally breathe a sigh of relief—the intense gaze was gone.

(…)

Meanwhile, Ji-eun Han was delighted. She was always optimistic. Though she’d been betrayed by her friend, meeting such a kind-hearted helper—a beautiful girl, no less—made her genuinely happy.

She entered the room and was immediately drawn to its luxurious decor and the king-sized bed; without hesitation, she rolled across it once.

Then, she cheerfully opened her laptop and began googling hotels.

On the other side, Rachel suddenly experienced a new kind of pleasure.

This wasn’t Seoul. It wasn’t Myeongdong or Cheongdam-dong, where she always had to maintain a ladylike composure, offer just the right smile, or compare clothes and accessories with others. Here, nobody knew her. Walking the streets in slippers, blending quickly into the crowd, she unconsciously wore a smile.

The sweltering summer sun continued to pour down its heat.

Rachel entered a mall, bought a pair of good flat sandals, and picked up a familiar camera, fully transforming herself into a tourist.

She’d arrived here unexpectedly, with no set destination. So she simply wandered near the hotel. The hotel she’d chosen was among the best in Beijing, so the area wasn’t particularly lively, more suited for vacationing.

As she walked, she found the road ahead blocked. At first, she didn’t think much of it. Peeking ahead, she saw an old, quaint alley—perfect for filming, she thought.

She was about to turn back when someone called out to her.

“Rachel…”

Jin Won’s face showed no surprise, though Rachel’s outfit was quite different from usual, and her face was bright with laughter and a slight flush.

(Perhaps he’d witnessed even more astonishing scenes before.)

Jin Won recalled the time Rachel had collapsed on the big bed without any regard to her image, and laughed softly, “What a coincidence. Want to take a look inside?”

Rachel intended to refuse, but reconsidered—she was new here, unfamiliar with the area, and many things were inconvenient.

Jin Won led her inside, and seeing how, without heels, she was a head shorter than him, even his stern face softened.

Compared to himself, Rachel was just a seventeen-year-old girl.

“I’m checking out a friend’s shoot. You know Lee Young-jae, right?”

Rachel wasn’t a fan of celebrities; the entertainment world didn’t excite her. But Lee Young-jae had once been wildly popular.

“I’ve heard of him.” She refrained from saying anything about his faded fame. “Is he your friend?”

Jin Won smiled, “Yes, we’ve been friends since high school—through university as well.”

His gaze fell on Lee Young-jae, who was amusing himself with a beautiful woman nearby. After a moment, he asked, “Have you decided where you want to go, Rachel?”

She looked in good spirits, as if the morning’s dismay was just his imagination.

Rachel was fiddling with her camera, her pale neck exposed as she bent her head. Jin Won awkwardly looked away, but Rachel glanced up and said, “No plans, just wandering.”

She finished adjusting the camera, raised it, and snapped a test shot—Lee Young-jae happened to be caught in the frame.

Lee Young-jae had just finished a scene and was taking a break. He heard the shutter click, looked over—ah! Jin Won!

The rakish man approached with a playful grin and a touch of mischief, took the water handed to him by his assistant, and flamboyantly drank a few gulps, letting the water trickle down his neck and onto his chest muscles.

Yes, his chest muscles.

Gone was the period costume; Lee Young-jae now wore only a small tank top, a deep V-neck—imagine that.

Rachel could hardly bear it.

Compared to him, Jin Won, dressed in a white shirt and straight gray trousers, exuded a kind of ascetic allure.

Rachel turned her head aside, but Lee Young-jae said, “Wow, Jin Won, you just broke up and now you’ve found yourself a beautiful little sister!”—the epitome of reckless banter, with a hint of jealousy in his tone.

It was clear: Jin Won already had a new girlfriend, yet as a celebrity, Lee Young-jae hadn’t even touched the person he longed for night and day.

Jin Won was speechless—having such a goofy friend was just his bad luck.

Lee Young-jae looked on, enjoying the drama, waiting for the beauty to interrogate Jin Won.

Rachel, not even able to be angry, suddenly looked at Jin Won.

“Oppa, you broke up?”

…What was going on?

Jin Won answered awkwardly, “Yeah, broke up.”

Actually, Rachel had only learned of Jin Won’s relationship with Hyun-joo Jeon by chance. They were very discreet, rarely seen together, so she only knew about it in passing—she could barely recall what Hyun-joo looked like.

Lee Young-jae was about to interject, but the director called him away. Before leaving, he winked flirtatiously at Rachel.

Jin Won sighed, “Come on, I’ll show you around.”

Despite being a big star, Lee Young-jae was actually a bit of a clown—staying would only embarrass Rachel.

So Rachel followed Jin Won.

It was a curious feeling—their frequent encounters. Even back in California, staying at the same hotel, she’d accompanied him to visit his mother.

…

Rachel mused on this, then suddenly smiled. “Oppa, don’t you think it’s amazing how people meet?”

The sudden question baffled Jin Won, so he simply replied, “Yeah.”

Rachel didn’t mind. “Look, it’s like suddenly arriving here, suddenly stumbling upon this city. Maybe this place has been waiting for me all along.”

…

Jin Won was surprised to find Rachel was…a literary soul.

Really, she was just voicing her thoughts.

Rachel wandered about, camera in hand. Everything here was new to her, sparking her curiosity. She looked fresh, her shoes comfortable—she hadn’t felt this way in years, not since the second year of middle school.

The sun gradually turned crimson, and the streets filled with cars and crowds.

Unconsciously, the two had walked far. Rachel kept taking pictures, while Jin Won daydreamed beside her, carrying her camera bag.

Rachel wiped her sweat, feeling tired. Jin Won suddenly perked up. “Want me to take a picture of you?”

“Huh?” Rachel tilted her head at him. In truth, she disliked photos, even resisted them. But while she hesitated, Jin Won had already taken the camera, though he wasn’t preparing to shoot. “If you’re tired, let’s head back.”

He saw Rachel was tired and intended to carry the camera for her, but Rachel suddenly smiled.

“Let’s take one!”

Her life had always been dictated by others—even photos were often for her mother’s brand promotions. She disliked posed shots, but now things were different.

There was no scenery here, just bustling streets, concrete, and traffic—but here she felt the freest.

When they returned, it was nearly seven o’clock. They hadn’t eaten because of the photo session, but summer days were long and the sky was still bright.

Jin Won wanted to treat Rachel to Peking duck, but they couldn’t get a reservation. Rachel watched Jin Won making calls, feeling awkward. They’d reached the hotel’s garden—a large space with flowers and artificial hills. Not wanting to disturb Jin Won, Rachel wandered a bit farther, and as she did, she saw a woman slowly walking from the lakeside into the water.

Jin Won had just secured a table and hadn’t yet hung up the phone when he heard Rachel’s scream.

“Oppa!!”