Winter Swan

Silje made an effort to make sure her eyes didn't waver.

When the elevator stopped and the door opened, the man leaned back against the elevator wall and gestured like a gentleman for her so she could leave first.

His brown eyes continued to study her as he asked, "So did you come here for an audition? This is the Sherian headquarters after all. I'm right, aren't I?"

Silje was about to get off with a thanks when he asked the question. She turned around to face him again.

"Oh, I…"

After a brief hesitation, Silje replied confidently, "Yes, I came here to become a Sherian model."

Silje sounded strong and determined, and the man looked at her with interest. His light brown eyes smiled attractively.

"You sound very determined. I like it. Well then, good luck, Miss."

A kind smile.

However, there was something else in his expression. The man walked away leisurely and Silje watched him curiously.

Was he a model too?

Maybe he came here to audition just like her.

Squeak.

When she opened the door and walked into the office, the models who were waiting for the audition turned to her all at once.

It was a familiar scene. Some models waited while listening to music while others napped. Some gossiped with each other quietly.

All the models looked at Silje up and down. Most looked blankly at her, but some looked weary. There was a limited number of positions and everyone in the room was competing against each other.

Silje ignored them and found a seat for herself. She had gone through much worse situations, so something trivial like this didn't even bother her anymore.

She sat down on the red sofa while the others chatted nearby.

"How was your audition?"

"As good as it could be. The problem is that there are too many models auditioning for this. I guess it's Sherian so it can't be helped. It looks like every model in New York came here."

"I know! The competition is incredible. I would be surprised if I got picked."

"Maybe it would be better to audition for lesser brands? This looks too risky. At this rate, I may not even get to walk in any shows."

They weren't exaggerating. There were countless models in the room and Silje had to wait over two hours before she got the chance to audition.

"Next are Silje Kim, Abba Larkiva, and Sara McPherson."

Silje stood up gracefully and walked into the auditioning room. Inside were the casting manager and assistants, and on the white wall behind them were photos of the already selected models. This meant that the majority of the spots were taken and only a few positions were left.

The other models seemed like they were panicking, but Silje still remained calm. It would be wonderful to become a Sherian model, but all she could do was do her best. Even if she didn't make it, there was no need for her to feel disappointed.

The things she had to go through in her life made her strong. Silje wasn't afraid of anything anymore.

The first thing the auditioning model does during an audition is to hand the casting manager her composite card, which has the model's agency information and body measurements. Afterward, the model would show his or her walk and have a polaroid photo taken.

The whole process took less than a minute.

Unfortunately, there was no designer participating in this particular audition. It was no wonder as Christian Lozetti, the world-famous designer, was very busy and wouldn't waste his time for mere models.

All the people in the room looked at her coldly, but again, Silje didn't mind. This wasn't her first audition.

She looked at them quietly and waited for instructions. One of the casting directors finally opened her mouth.

"Hello, could we get your portfolio books?"

Silje and the other models immediately handed her their portfolios. Silje was the last to do it, and the woman glanced at her briefly.

Today, Silje had her long black hair down and was wearing a white blouse with a magnolia pattern on it. She purposely chose a very Asian outfit that accentuated her delicate frame.

The casting manager asked the other model first.

"You are from Romania? Is this photo from last season's runway?"

"Yes, that's right. I participated in the Paris, Milan, London, and New York collections. I worked for Versace, Givenchy, Stella McCartney…"

The model started to list her extensive and impressive experiences. She looked over 180 cm tall and with her average brown hair, she looked like a very safe choice for any brands or shows.

Next was Silje. After looking at her portfolio, the casting manager commented, "I see that you don't have much experience in fashion shows."

It was true. Silje couldn't compare to the Romanian model.

Silje thought that it was over for her, but the manager asked, "How tall are you?"

"177 cm."

"If you don't mind, could we see your walk right now?"

Silje confidently walked across the room. Her eyes looked straight ahead, and she walked naturally but assuredly. The manager nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Thank you."

The models were about to leave when one woman hurriedly said, "I want to see you two try these clothes on. These are some of the outfits for this season's collection."

One was a simple one-piece gray dress while the other outfit was a striped and pearl-embedded silk blouse with a tweed skirt.

Silje loved Sherian clothes for their urban yet romantic style. Silje and the Romanian model went behind the makeshift changing room to get dressed. Fortunately, Silje was given the gray dress that suited her fragile body very well. The dress was simple yet elegant and with its lovely ribbon, it looked good on her. Silje also was wearing black high heels which matched the dress perfectly and showed off her long, slim legs.

When Silje came out, the casting manager looked impressed.

"Good. It looks better than I expected."

Silje heard another woman whispering to her colleague, "She has a good walk too."

When Silje and the other model walked out, the brown-haired model glanced at her curiously. She obviously didn't consider Silje her competition before going into the audition, but it was clear that Silje had caught the casting manager's attention.

Before they left, the assistant told them, "Thank you for your time. You can go now. Chris will look over your portfolios and decide. As soon as we know, we will call you."

Of course, the final decision was the designer's as always.

Silje did her best, so she had no regrets. She changed back to her own clothes and walked out to the waiting area where the other models were still waiting.

She was walking by when she saw a familiar face.

Chic black long boots, a large shoulder bag, and red lipstick.

The woman was on the phone and talking with a frown.

Silje felt awkward but she decided that she should at least say hello. The woman was still on the phone when she noticed Silje.

"Hello."

It was Jung Yun who greeted her back with a frown.

"Hello to you too."