The alarm rang for the third time. Lam Moc Tra clambered out of the bunk bed in her cramped rental room. She rubbed her eyes and checked the time on her phone: 6:15 a.m. Today wasn't a day for lectures. It was the day she was going to interview for an internship.
At twenty, while most of her peers were still deep asleep or lost in Korean romance dramas, Tra had already begun feeling the pressure of the word “employment.” She was a third-year Communications major. It sounded impressive, but in reality, without any hands-on experience, all she could do after graduation was go back home and herd ducks.
Tra stepped into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face to wake herself up. In the mirror was a girl with neatly tied black hair, large round eyes, and faint dark circles from staying up late to fix her resume. She wasn't strikingly beautiful, just easy on the eyes, with a fresh, youthful vitality.
Opening her closet, Tra took a deep breath. The day before, she'd carefully ironed a white button-down and black slacks—the “classic” uniform of every college student job hunting. After changing, she slipped on a pair of cream-colored flats, hastily slung on her laptop backpack with its slightly worn corners, and hurried to the bus stop.
The company she was interviewing with today was StarBrite—a fairly well-known media and entertainment company that specialized in organizing events and managing the public images of young artists. The position she was aiming for was extremely modest: Event Support Intern. To put it bluntly, she would be running errands, hauling things, handing out drinks, and buying boxed meals. But to Tra, simply setting foot in a professional environment was already a major step forward.
Bus Route 08 was packed during rush hour. Tra gripped the handrail tightly, doing her best to keep her backpack from being shoved around. Standing beside her was a tall, broad-shouldered young man in a plain gray T-shirt and a baseball cap that concealed half his face. He seemed to be on the phone, his deep, warm voice edged with sharpness:
“Tell the design team to redo the layout. The colors are way too tacky. Our artist's concept is elegant, not a circus. I'm giving them until ten this morning.”
Tra stole a glance at him. Wow, what was this guy's problem? He was already chewing out employees first thing in the morning. She silently prayed she wouldn't end up with a boss like that.
At 7:45, the bus stopped at her stop. Tra squeezed her way off and smoothed down the hem of her slightly wrinkled shirt. Towering in front of her was a gleaming glass building. StarBrite's offices occupied the fifteenth floor.
When she entered the lobby, the cool air-conditioning chased away the morning heat. Tra approached the reception desk and said timidly:
“Hi. I'm Lam Moc Tra. I have an interview scheduled for the Event Support Intern position at eight-thirty.”
The receptionist, whose makeup was subtle and polished, looked up at her with a professional smile.
“Go up to the fifteenth floor, turn right, and wait in Conference Room 2. Someone from Human Resources will come show you what to do.”
Tra obediently nodded. When the elevator opened on the fifteenth floor, she was a little overwhelmed. The workspace had a modern open-plan design, with white and orange as its primary colors. Several people in distinctive outfits hurried around, carrying stacks of documents or talking nonstop on their phones. The atmosphere was intensely busy.
Tra entered Conference Room 2. Three other students were already seated inside, all dressed neatly and holding thick, full-color portfolios. Tra looked down at her own black-and-white resume sealed in plastic and suddenly felt a sting in her nose. It was okay. She was going to get hired on merit, and make up for her lack of brilliance with hard work! She encouraged herself silently before choosing a secluded corner and sitting down.
At exactly 8:30, the conference room door opened. A young woman in a pencil skirt walked in, followed by... Tra's eyes went wide.
The man behind her was the guy in the gray T-shirt from Bus Route 08 that morning! He had taken off his baseball cap now, revealing an angular face, bright eyes, and a resolute brow. An intimidating aura radiated from him. He looked intensely serious.
“Hello, everyone,” the woman began. “I'm Mai, the Head of Human Resources. And this is Vu Hoang Hai, StarBrite's Project Director. Mr. Hai will be interviewing you directly today because you'll be assigned to his team.”
Tra swallowed hard. Oh no. The demanding “circus” boss from that morning was about to become the person deciding her internship fate.
The interviews went fairly quickly. The first three applicants came out looking less than optimistic. When it was Tra's turn, she took a deep breath, knocked, and entered.
Vu Hoang Hai was flipping through her resume. His long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the wooden desk.
“Lam Moc Tra? Third-year student?” He looked up at her, his gaze sweeping over her as if he were appraising a product. “Work experience... You worked as a café server and a part-time movie theater employee? How do you think those experiences will help you in Event Support?”
Tra pressed her lips together, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Those jobs taught me how to handle high-pressure situations, communicate with all kinds of customers, and, most importantly, build stamina. I know event production is demanding work. You have to keep running around and deal with unexpected situations. I believe I'm healthy and patient enough to do a good job.”
Vu Hoang Hai raised an eyebrow. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, forming a smile so faint it was almost impossible to detect.
“Stamina? Here, we have production runs where staff stay awake for three nights straight at a filming location, eat boxed meals, and sleep on folding chairs. You're a woman with no professional experience. What makes you think you won't quit halfway through?”
Tra met his eyes. Her initial nervousness faded, replaced by sincerity.
“I wouldn't dare make any grand promises. But I need this job, and I need an environment where I can learn. You can put me on a one-week trial. If I mess up or complain even once, you can let me go immediately without paying me any allowance.”
The room fell silent. Mai, sitting beside him, watched Tra with interest. Vu Hoang Hai folded her resume and set it aside.
“Fine.” His steady, low voice filled the room. “Be in the prop room at eight tomorrow morning. Prepare yourself. Your first assignment is to sort twenty boxes of items for the concept of this weekend's music video shoot. Remember to wear something comfortable.”
Tra sat stunned for three seconds, then hurriedly stood and bowed deeply.
“Yes! Thank you both! I'll be there on time!”
When she left the company, the Saigon sun was blindingly bright, but flowers were blooming in Lam Moc Tra's heart. She pulled out her phone and quickly texted her mother back home: “Mom, I got the job!”
The journey of this twenty-year-old college student into the world of showbiz and the spotlight had finally begun—with clumsy but determined steps.