A week after Joshua, Mingyu, Jeonghan, and I had filmed the Han River version of Adore U, their manager finally got his hands on the video thanks to Seungcheol and Woozi finally persuading him to check it out.

            “Did he say anything when he watched the video?” Wonwoo asked. It had been a few days after he had seen the video but none of us had heard anything about what he had thought about it. “I want to know what he had to say.”

            “Geez you sound more excited and you weren’t even in the video,” Mingyu said laughing pushing Wonwoo’s arm lightly. “But yeah it has been a while since he watched the video. Hyung what did he say?” He turned to look at Seungcheol.

            “He just said he wanted a copy of the video so we sent it to him through e-mail,” Seungcheol answered. “He didn’t say anything much after that. But I’m sure he’ll say something eventually.”

            “Guys check this out!” Dino yelled running from the bedrooms into the living room. “Look look!” He sat down around most of us as Vernon, Seokmin, Minghao, and Jun followed him out of the bedrooms joining the rest of us in the living room. Dino set down his ipad in the center of us.

            “What is it?” Soonyoung asked leaning forward to look at the screen. “Oh our channel uploaded a new video onto Youtube.” He pressed the screen to play the video. “It’s the Han River version!”

            “Really?” I exclaimed leaning forward as well to get a better look. Sure enough our video from the Han River was uploaded onto the official Seventeen Youtube channel. I read the title and saw my name in it. It read ‘Jeonghan, Joshua, Mingyu, and Skyler Adore U Han River Ver.’

            “There’s your name Skyler,” Jeonghan said watching the video. They had added the song to the video to make the audio louder but it was really the four of us dancing and mouthing the lyrics to Adore U. “You’re on our channel!”

            “Look at the views already,” Joshua said scrolling a little down the screen. “This was uploaded yesterday and it has over four-hundred-thousand views. Wow, what do the comments say?” He scrolled down some more to the comment section filled with lots of comments from English speaking fans. “Who is Skyler he is really good. Skyler is really cute. Your four danced so well. I read somewhere Skyler is Jeonghan’s cousin, is that true? Skyler resembles Jeonghan a tiny bit. I don’t know who Skyler is but he is really handsome. Is Skyler a Pledis trainee?”

            After reading some of the comments Joshua translated what they had said to the other members so they could understand what the viewers of the video had said. I felt really happy inside that most of the people that commented seemed to really like me. And even some were curious about who I was.

            “That is a lot of good comments about you Skyler hyung,” Mingyu said. “It seems like most of the comments were about you.” He smiled at me giving me a short hug. “So I guess this was a surprise to all of that this was being uploaded onto Youtube.”

            “How do you feel that you’re now permanently on our channel?” Seungcheol asked looking at me. He looked very proud that I had made it onto my channel due to the big smile he had on his face.

            “I can’t believe it,” I answered as the video ended. “And I can’t believe that the fans of you guys have so much interest in who I am. But I kind of like it. Your manager was being pretty sneaky.”

            “Damn right he was,” Wonwoo said nodding his head. “I wonder if there is still something more to come, I mean if the video is already this popular who knows what else will happen.” We all agreed that this was probably just the beginning and there was still something more that was going to happen.

            Wonwoo was right when he said there could be more stuff to happen after the video had been uploaded onto Youtube. Over the course of the week we had seen the video blow up in popularity getting over a million views and the majority of the comments wanting to know who I was.

            Vernon even told us that most of the k-pop news websites like Allkpop and Soompi had articles of the video and even they were wondering if there was more information about me. It seemed like everyone in the fandom wanted to know who the hell I was even people not in the fandom that had a slight interest in Seventeen.

            “It is so hot even at eleven at night,” Joshua said as we stepped outside of the dorm building. We were going to head to the nearest convenience store to look for something cold to drink for the two of us since all day we had been the only ones in the dorm since everyone else had somewhere else to be.

            “Yeah and humid,” I agreed. “Summer here is almost if not more worse then summer in L.A. Say when was the last time you got to go back and visit California?” It was funny how even though it was the two of us we were only speaking in Korean.

            “Mm not for a few years to be honest,” Joshua answered looking down at the ground. By the tone in his voice I knew he was homesick. “Pretty much ever since I came to Korea I haven’t gotten the chance to go back and visit everyone in California.”

            “I’m sorry if I brought up something unpleasant,” I said quietly. Joshua turned to look at me stopping in his tracks. I stopped as well looking back at him as he sighed, his shoulders moving up and down.

            “Truthfully I miss my parents a lot,” Joshua said breaking into English. “I am usually too tried or busy to call or Skype them so sometimes I feel depressed that I can’t hear what they have to say about me finally debuting and everything.” He moved closer to me before wrapping his arms around me. “I’m sorry I just really need a hug.”

            “It’s okay,” I said slowly wrapping my arms back around him. “I would miss my parents too if I was in the position that you are. But I am sure they are so proud of you and everything you have accomplished. No I’m not sure I know it.”

            “You think so?” Joshua asked looking at me. He shook his head when a few tears fell from his eyes. “Aw I am crying.” He buried his head into my neck as I felt more tears fall onto me.

            “Don’t worry Joshua,” I said softly patting his back lightly. “Its okay to cry if you need to. Let it all out. And hopefully soon you can talk to your parents over the phone or video chat. How does that sound?”

            “It sounds good,” he mumbled into my neck sending a tickling vibration on my skin from his words. “Um will you be there with me when I call them?” He lifted his head to look at me. “Please?”

            “Sure,” I said nodding my head. “I would be glad to sit with you when you call your parents.” I reached up to wipe the remaining tears from his eyes with my hand. “There, no more tears please Joshua. I don’t like seeing you cry.”

            “Alright,” Joshua said laughing a little bringing a sweet sound into my ear when I heard his laugh. “Let’s continue going to the store.” He removed himself from my holding my hand the rest of the way to the convenience store.

            Once we got inside the store we quickly made our way to the back of the store where the fridges were located with all the cold drinks and the ice cream was. I pointed to the ice cream case as we made our way to that first.

            “I want the choco cone,” I said. “What do you want?” Joshua looked at all the ice cream choices before choosing the same thing as me. I got out two choco cones and he got two colas before we made our way back to the front of the store.

            “Hey!” someone exclaimed from the door. We turned to see a girl and boy who had just entered the store. They made our way up to us as the girl smiled.

            “You’re Skyler,” she said looking at me. “Oppa this is the guy from the video that everyone at summer class had been talking about; the mysterious guy in the Seventeen Adore U Han River version. Oh my goodness wow I am meeting him and Joshua oppa in person!”

            “Ah wow,” the guy said. “So these are some of the people in that group you like so much.” She nodded her head. “It is nice to meet you guys. Sorry I don’t know much about you.”

            “Its okay,” Joshua said smiling. “We are only in the beginning and still have a long long way to go. We are working hard.”

            “Can I have your autographs?” she asked taking out a piece of paper from her bag. “I can’t wait to tell everyone that I got some signatures.”

            “I am not a celebrity though,” I said shaking my head. “I’m not even a trainee for any k-pop company. I am just Jeonghan’s cousin.”

            “But still,” she said as Joshua was signing the paper. “Skyler-sii your dancing and your looks you could be a k-pop idol in no time. Please.” She handed the paper to me along with the pen.

            “Okay,” I said finally giving in. I smiled signing my name on the paper cringing afterwards at how bland my signature looked compared to Joshua’s who had practice coming up with a cool autograph. “There.”

            “Thank you so much,” she said. “You guys have made the night for me.” She bowed her head to us. “Thank you again. Work hard. Fighting!” Her and the guy left to get the stuff they came for as Joshua and I paid for our ice cream and sodas before leaving the store.

            “See school girls know who you are,” Joshua said nudging me. We sat down in a park in the area on a bench drinking our sodas and eating our ice cream. “If the company offered you a contract would you take it?”

            “I don’t know,” I answered after nibbling on the ice cream cone. “I would have to wait and think about it, talk to my parents about it and then ultimately decide if that is what I would want to do. Being a k-pop star is not an easy job. I see how much they overwork people and the way you have to act in public. What if I lose who I really am if I sign the contract?”

            “Don’t worry,” Joshua said to me patting my free hand. “I mean yeah you will have to act a certain way in the public eye and all that but for the most part you get to be you. None of us act any different when we are on camera or not. Our personalities are what also help connect the fans to us right?” He finished eating his ice cream throwing the trash away.

            “I suppose so,” I said after a while watching as a few drops of ice cream fell onto the ground. “But is idol life the life for me? I long would I have to do it? What if I got tired of being a k-pop star but couldn’t leave?”

            “Lots of what ifs,” Joshua said nodding his head. “There is never a definite answer when you are in the music industry, especially one as fast paced as the k-pop one. You just have to take a risk if you really love it. I love music so I knew this is what I wanted to do no matter what, somehow I was going to be a singer and this is how I am living my life.”

            Listening to Joshua I saw just how much more he really loved music. Music wasn’t just a hobby to him like it was for me. It was his whole entire life. He was making his dreams come true and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. Sure I was attending college back in Los Angeles but I was dead set on my journalism major. I was thinking of changing but I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, like he seemed to.

********

            “Skyler,” Seungcheol said walking into one of the bedrooms finding me on Jeonghan’s bed. “I have some news.” I looked up from my laptop, closing it making eye contact with him.

            “What is it hyung?” I asked sitting up on the bed. He flashed me a really big smile, jumping up and down slightly. It was so clear that he was excited about something, and it had something to do with me. Now I was curious about what he had to say.

            “The video,” Seungcheol said. “Manager showed it to more people in the company and they want to meet with you. I think they might want to offer you a record contract. They said they want to meet with you this afternoon. I have to head to the main building anyway so we can go together.”

            “Really?” I asked widening my eyes. “They want to meet with me because of that video? Oh my goodness.” I cupped my cheeks pinching them slightly. Nope, I wasn’t sleeping this wasn’t a dream. This was really happening. “Alright when do we have to leave to head to the Pledis building?”

            “We have to be there by three in the afternoon,” Seungcheol answered. “I hope they have some good news for you Skyler. And if you do get a contract that would be super freaking amazing!”

            “Hold your horses hyung,” I said raising my hands. “Nothing has happened yet. Who knows what they want to talk to me about. But I’ll find out later today. I have to tell the others that are here.” I jumped off Jeonghan’s bed heading to the living room where Wonwoo, Dino, Seokmin, and Mingyu were. They were the only ones in the dorm besides Seungcheol and I at the moment.

            I smiled sitting down next to Seokmin grinning even wider. I laughed a little, I had to admit that I was really excited and anticipating the meeting at Pledis. Dino looked over to me raising an eyebrow slightly at my actions.

            “Hyung why are you so happy?” Dino asked. “You’re grinning like crazy. What is it? What is it?” Wonwoo, Seokmin, and Mingyu stopped what they were doing to look over to me.

            “Seungcheol hyung told me that some people at Pledis want to speak with me about the video and stuff,” I finally said. I couldn’t keep this a secret and needed to tell them. “So this afternoon we’re going to the main building together. I wonder what they are going to say?”

            “Omo!” Mingyu yelled throwing his hands in the air. “That is great news Skyler hyung!” He clapped his hands grinning at me. “I bet they’re going to offer you a contract. I just know it!” He got up tackling me in a huge hug.

            “Ay Mingyu,” I said ruffling his hair since I couldn’t do much since he landed on top of me from the hug. “I don’t know what they want but I’m not getting my hopes up for anything.”

            “Congrats hyung,” Wonwoo said giving me thumbs up. I couldn’t help but notice how his eyes wandered to Mingyu who was still on top of me. I swear I saw a mix of emotions flash across his face. “Mingyu you’re probably crushing Skyler.”

            “Oops sorry,” Mingyu said getting off of me. He smoothed out my clothes. “There good as new, well sort of. I hope things will go well with the meeting.”

            “I’m sure everything will be awesome,” Seokmin said smiling. “And when you get back you have to tell us everything that they say. Its got to be good.”

            I looked at the time on my phone seeing that I had only less then an hour before I had to leave with Seungcheol for the Pledis building. Whatever they had to say I was looking forward to what they were going to say to me.

********

            “Hello Skyler,” one of the people from the meeting said to me as he opened the door to be meeting room. “Please come in and have a seat.” He let me into the room as I sat down, finding myself sitting in front of three people including the man that had let me in.

            “So you’re probably wondering why you are here,” another one of them said looking at me. I nodded my head slowly waiting for him to continue. “Well Seventeen’s manager showed us the dance video you shot with Jeonghan, Joshua, and Mingyu. We were really impressed with your dance skills.”

            “Ah thank you,” I said smiling lightly. I looked down at the table feeling a little nervous at what else they might have to say to me. I knew there was something else they had to say then just this.

            One of them took something out of the folder on the table sliding a packer of papers over to me. I looked down at the documents seeing the first thing on the top of the paper in big black bold writing ‘record contract.’ I widened my eyes seeing it. I looked up at the people in front of me.

            “We want to give you a contract,” the man in the middle said to me. “But first we would like to hear you sing something. If you don’t mind, sorry for the short notice of everything but we have an idea of where to put you.”

            “Alright,” I said nodding my head. “I’ll sing something.” I tapped my chin thinking about what song I should sing for them to show off my voice. I knew that to make a good impression you show the best of the best. I closed my eyes finally decided to sing EXO’s Baby Don’t Cry.

            Yeah it might not have been the smartest choice to sing a song from a different company but it was the first song that came to mind that would show off my voice pretty well. I began to sing the chorus of the song keeping my eyes closed. I needed to distract myself since three pairs of eyes were looking at me, judging me.

            When I was done singing I opened my eyes staring nervously across the table from the three people in front of me. I gulped when about a minute passed and none of them said anything. Finally something happened and they began to clap for me.

            “Well done Skyler,” the man in the middle said. “As we said this contract is for you. Take it back with you, think it over a few days and when you reach a conclusion let us know. Our number is at the bottom of the last page.”

            “Okay,” I said nodding my head, picking up the contract. “Um if I do sign this and join your company where will I be put?”

            “Well,” the man on the right said. “Since you can already sing so well and dance well too we would put you as a trainee, but you’d train with Seventeen and hopefully by the next comeback you’d make your debut with them as the fourteenth member. If you accept the deal that is. That is all for today.”

            I bowed my head to the three of them before exiting the meeting room clutching the contract in my hands tightly. Did that really just happen? Had they really offered for me to become the fourteenth member of Seventeen? I slapped myself in the face regretting when my cheek lit up in pain. Nope I was definitely awake and not dreaming. I really had gotten a record deal just now from Pledis.

Skyler has been given the record deal! Will he take it though? That is the question. Joshua and him are growing closer and stuff. The next chapter will probably be video chats with Joshua’s parents and Skyler’s parents.