Chapter 3: Let the fun begin

"Hyo," I called as I opened the door, "I'm going off to work."

My best friend staggered out of her bedroom, her blonde hair so messed up a family of birds could nest in it.

"Ohh—kaa—yyy…" She yawned.

"And Soo…"

I paused in my steps and turned around. "Yeah?"

"Try to make some friends okay?"

I frowned.

"Did my mom pay you or something?"

"No, why?" Hyoyeon appeared genuinely confused. I guess it has nothing to do with her then.

"Nothing," I said with a shrug.

Hyoyeon had a suspicious look on her face but she decided to continue anyway. "I'm serious, Soo."

I exhaled heavily.

Remember I said that I don't have many friends because my family was always moving around because of our business?

Well...

I don't really like to talk about it, but you can say that my early life were a little rough. Having a family with a business is surely hard. As time passed, making friends just steadily dropped in importance under the "Things To Do" section until it didn't matter at all.

My Dad have trained me with the things he do on the days of my early life, He really wanted me to learn all the things around our business that he even insist me to join him in every schedule and appointments he have.

You can now see the reason behind that I don’t have enough friends.

But then sometimes I started having more and more random people approach me at random times when I have to wait for my father…

Believe it or not, the conversations would usually go this way:

"Umm, Miss Choi Sooyoung?"

I held back a groan. Not again. But mom says I have to be polite, so well.

"Yes?"

"I—I... Is Sooyoung or Choi your surname?"

"Choi is my surname."

"So you're called Sooyoung?"

No, I'm called Conan the Barbarian but you can just call me Conan. By this time I would be too lazy to respond and would just nod, politely.

"D—do you make tea?"

Sure, you just toss the teabag in and add water.

"I guess."

"Wow." And said person's eyes will be shiny with I'm not sure what.

"Are you also going to ask whether I practice martial arts because you're right I actually trained as a ninja with the Ninja Turtles?" I muttered under my breath.

"Huh?"

"Ah, sorry, I just remembered that I have something to do. So, please excuse me."

At which point I would flash Sooyoung’s charming/dazzling smile (depending on how irritated I was) and said person would float off with a dreamy smile on his or her face.

"I'm friendly to Seohyun, am I not?"

Hyoyeon rolled her eyes. "That's the problem; you veer between extreme indifference and extreme flirting!"

I huffed. That's not true Hyo; I'm not flirting with Seohyun. I'm just teasing you.

"Soo, don't keep people away from the real you."

"They're happy with what they see anyway," I said evenly. What I've learned through all these years is that most people are only interested in what's on the outside. And somehow they have this idealized image of me being this gentle, elegant girl and a girl that will make you easily blown away by a gust of wind. I haven't met anyone (save for Hyoyeon and maybe two others) who's vaguely interested in what I really am. "I'm sure they prefer that to the real me."

Hyoyeon knitted her brows and took a step forward, causing me to retreat instinctively.

"This real you…" she poked me gently on the shoulder, "…this boisterous, annoying, sarcastic you – is a lot more charming to me."

I couldn't help but smile. This is why Hyoyeon’s my best friend.

And the smile remained on my face even as I boarded the train and travelled to the K-Talents office…

I sat in the waiting area. I checked my reflection in the huge mirror hanging on the wall and adjusted my maroon cardigan. I guess I look presentable. A few days earlier I had received a call from the manager whom I'll be assisting. I was rather relieved that she could speak some English, even though it was heavily accented. She told me to meet her in the office, and emphasized that I should "be comfortable dress" as I will "move a lot around" (those were her words, not mine). Thus my outfit consisted of a pair of black skinny jeans, and a white long sleeved polo.

"Ah, Miss Choi?"

I looked up to see the receptionist smiling at me. She gestured at the manager's roo