“Why do I have to go to a new school for your job? I won’t have any friends there. It’s a completely different country with different standards!” Calla argued with her mother over the phone upon receiving the news. She would be going to a school where a lot of Korean idols go for training before they debut. Granted, she would have more opportunities there with her artsy side, and people would probably find her interesting enough because she was a transfer student. But she liked the familiarity of the school she went to in Arkansas. She was a nobody, and she had grown to like that.

 

“Dear, you’ll be fine,” her mother said calmly, a slight annoyance in her voice. Calla had been very persistent on staying in Arkansas for the rest of her life, but her mother wanted her to see different things, experience more than what was given to her. “We both have to go to Korea, for my job, and because you’re still a minor.” Her mother was a translator for the company she worked for, and since she studied Korean in college, and was Korean herself, it seemed the best choice for them to transfer. Calla hung up the phone and went upstairs to her room to sulk, taking her cat Louis with her.

 

After setting Louis down on the cushion of one of her pillows, Calla looked at herself in the mirror. She did not have the features of an Asian girl. She had curly brown hair, compared the sleek, straight ebony hair that Koreans tended to have. She had the pale skin, but that was about it. Calla looked more like her father than her mother. At least that’s what she thought, looking at the picture of her late father on her nightstand. She sighed heavily and looked at the suitcases her mother had placed on her bed earlier that morning. A sound came from her phone on the desk in the corner.

 

Hey. I just heard the news! A text from her best friend Shana read.

 

Did your mom tell you? Calla replied a few moments later.

 

Yep! Want some help with packing? The next text read.

 

Yes. Please.

 

A few hours later, it looked like her room had been taken over by a hurricane; Shana had gone through Calla’s closet and taken out everything... literally, everything. She had found things from when Calla was in middle school and had just completely forgotten to throw out or give to Goodwill. Calla watched her friend as she placed all of her clothes in separate, color-coded piles.

 

“I can’t believe you’re going to Korea,” Shana said after a while, tying up yet another bag of clothes for Goodwill. Calla would be apparently downsizing at her new place. “You’re going to be with upcoming Idols, do you understand that?” Calla rolled her eyes. Shana was into the whole Korean pop thing, had been since freshman year of high school. Countless times had she shown Calla the different groups that she listened to on a daily basis. She had even shown some of the bands and people that would be attending the same school as her. One of the main groups that she knew about that would be attending with her was called SEVENTEEN.

 

“Yes,” Calla said, taking Louis in her arms. “But they’re normal people, Shan.” It was Shana’s turn to roll her eyes. “At least, for now, they are.”

 

(In Korea with SEVENTEEN)

 

“Did you guys hear about the new transfer student coming next week?” Seungcheol asked his other members in the dorm. The other members were on their various technological devices, either working on schoolwork or reading or trolling social media.

 

“I heard her mother is a translator of some sort,” Jeonghan said from his bunk, his hair covering his face slightly. He had been growing out his hair for a long time now. The other members were curious as to how long he wanted to grow it out. “Her mother is highly respected by the other staff.” He explained, shrugging.

 

“Do we know her name?” Joshua questioned.

 

“People are saying that her name is Cal – Calla?” Seungkwan said, trying to say the name without an accent. Joshua and Vernon looked at each other and shrugged.

 

“Sounds American enough to me,” Vernon said. Seung Cheol chuckled at the maknae.

 

(In Arkansas)

 

A few days after the whole packing fiasco, Shana was showing Calla more of SEVENTEEN. The members, their names, the whole nine yards. Calla was amused at how boldly her friend talked about those boys. She had to admit, the boys were pretty attractive, but she still thought that they were normal guys. She wasn’t the typical fangirl that goggled at boys and drooled over posters. Calla had to learn more about these guys and what their music would sound like before truly being a fangirl to them.

 

Calla’s mother was waiting in the foyer for her on the day that they were to depart to Korea. Shana would be looking after Louis for the amount of time that they would be gone. Her mother had promised that Calla would be back to visit for the summer, which was the best news that Calla had heard all week. Shana and Calla said their goodbyes, and they headed off the to the airport.