Karl finally reached the end of the market, panting slightly as he looked around. The sun was high, and the streets buzzed with vendors and chatter but his eyes quickly locked onto the tall figure waiting near the edge of the stalls.
Director Jiri.
She stood with arms crossed, dressed in a sharp midnight robe, her dark hair tied in a high twist. Her face looked anything but pleased.
"You're late," she said the moment she saw him, her tone clipped and eyes narrowing. "Fifteen minutes late. If you want to become a star, Karl, you need to be early, not struggling in like a lost animal."
Karl flinched, his shoulders stiffening under her sharp voice. "I-I'm sorry… I had to sneak out of the house. It was hard. Everyone was awake."
He looked down, feeling small under her gaze. His fingers nervously fiddled with the edge of his robe, voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to be late…"
