For Real?

Today is Saturday. As usual, Seunghoon is doing his Saturday morning ritual -watching "Turning Mecard", a popular animation series in Korea- in the living room. In his left side, sit his partner in crime, Mino. As soon as the opening theme of the series is played, the duo quickly set into their position. Seungyoon laugh at them when the duo are recreating highlight of opening scene while singing the theme song.

You can always count on Seunghoon and Mino to make embarrassing scene. They have gone together to Kawagoe to dance with grannies, went to Universal Studio Japan to cosplay as dinosaur and did magic battle in the Ferris Wheel. Their antique earned them the famous nickname "The Dumb and Dumber". Whenever they present, Seungyoon and Jinwoo can't help to also laugh at whatever they did. But not today. The person on the right side of Seunghoon unusually isn't laughing although he is the easiest person to laugh among the 4 boys.

Jinwoo's eyes are fixated on the TV screen but what he watches barely registered in his mind.

"Jinwoo hyung".

A voice beside him rung out but his mind is still blank.

"Jinwoo hyung!! Hello?"

Jinwoo jolted at the call.

"Jinwoo hyung? What were you thinking?"

He slowly turns his head to the source of the voice. Jinwoo blinked dumbly at Seunghoon.

"He was asking whether you want to eat ramen too or not. Seunghoon hyung said he want to cook ramen. So, do you?" Mino grinned at Jinwoo with his usual silly-but-oh-so-adorable look.

"Oh. Thank you. I'm not hungry yet."

"What's got you so distracted?" Seunghoon asked Jinwoo with a hint of curiosity.

"Probably thinking why the girl hasn't replied him yet", Seungyoon give a mischievous smile.

Mino give Jinwoo a confused look. Seunghoon looked at Seungyoon with disbelieve, flailing his arms as he turned his gaze at Jinwoo. "A girl? You mean, like a girlfriend? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Jinwoo sighed, "Seungyoon, don't state something that can make people misunderstand. I was worried about the result of the audition. It doesn't have anything to do with whatever nonsense you just said".

Seungyoon chuckled at his remarks.

"Well, I have set up a dating profile for Jinwoo hyung and he got a match, but she hasn't replied until now. Jinwoo hyung hasn't get other messages at all too. Maybe you should really consider adding a profile pic, Jinwoo hyung."

"Forget it".

Seunghoon scoffed at what he just heard. "No way! Why would you send Jinwoo hyung to that risky place! What if there's serial killer lurking in that website? Seungyoon, you know how gullible Jinwoo hyung is!"

"Seunghoon, I'm not a baby. Don't worry about this", Jinwoo said. "I will update you on this matter. Well, that's if there's update on the situation though. There's nothing happened since I made that profile"

"Eh, now I'm really curious. Show me! Show me! I want to see your profile", Mino barraged Jinwoo with his ugly aegyo.

"It's nothing, really", Jinwoo gave Mino a faint smile.

After a slight provocation from the dumb & dumber duo, Jinwoo finally give up. He login into his account and show his profile to Seunghoon and Mino.

Jinwoo won't admit that he frequently checking his account for the past week since he had his profile, secretly hoping someone will message him. He thought it's weird how he didn't actively seeking a mate but at the same time it hurts his pride when no one give him attention. Only a few people clicked his profile and so far, none interested to contact him.

Did my profile was too bland? Am I that uninteresting?

When he deep in his thought, there's a flashing mail icon on his phone screen.

I got a message!

Seungyoon, Seunghoon & Mino notice the change in Jinwoo's expression, they look at each other then resume their activities -watching Turning Mecard- again. Jinwoo raise himself up from the sofa and go to his room.

Irene:

Hello, I'm Irene.

Sorry I just reply your message now because I rarely login to my account.

I read your profile too and indeed, we have a lot thing in common. You said that you're a college student?

Jinwoo:

Yes. I'm a college student. Irene is a college student too, right?

Irene:

Ah yes. My graduation is around the corner though, so in 6 months I won't be a college student anymore ^^.

If I'm not wrong, in your profile you wrote that you attend an Art College?

Jinwoo:

I took a major in acting and minoring in musical theatre. What about you?

Irene:

I took a major in performing arts and minoring in dance. You have mentioned you love dancing too.

Jinwoo :

Indeed. Dancing is more like a hobby to me. Although it's sometime also my part time job.

Irene:

Your part time job is related with dancing? I would love to hear more about it.

Jinwoo:

Well, I used to be with Sydooney Dance Studio and sometimes I work as back up dancer.

I rarely do it now but in the past, I've been a back up dancer for Bigbang, 2NE1 and GD's live concert

Jinwoo blushed as he type the message. Will she think that I'm bragging?

Irene:

Wow! You must be a good dancer to be able to perform alongside those famous names!

I've performed several times too on stage for some contemporary dance performance. It's fun.

Jinwoo:

I t's not that I'm good.

I'm bad in remembering a dance routine so I have to work hard for it, but I guess I have been dancing for a long time so my movement is decent.

I love being on stage!

As the conversation progress more and more, Jinwoo's smile on his face is getting wider and wider. He's happy to talk with someone about acting and dancing.

Jinwoo:

What do you do in your free time?

Irene:

As of now, I don't really have that much free time since I'm busy with auditions and my blog.

I was working part-time in a laundry service but the owner decided to move to other city.

So I just start working part-time in a Pizza restaurant.

Jinwoo:

Laundry service...

No wonder you said you love washing and ironing clothes.

What a coincidence.

It seems we really have many things in common.

I'm also a part-time worker in a Pizza restaurant.

What Pizza restaurant is lucky enough to have you as their employee?

Irene:

Domino's Pizza :)

Jinwoo:

I work in Pizza Etang.

Irene:

Eh... Pizza Etang is the rival of my Pizza restaurant.

My manager often frets how Pizza Etang that not that far from our restaurant is snatching away our costumer.

Don't tell me you work in that Pizza Etang branch.

Jinwoo:

A ha ha. I work in Pizza Etang Itaewon.

And you?

Irene:

No way!

It's our rival Pizza restaurant!

I work in Domino's Pizza Itaewon!

How's work there?

At first, Jinwoo is the Pizza delivery boy but then he transferred as Customer Service Representative. It's because there's so many girls order Pizza just to have him deliver it to their place, even though they live faraway outside Jinwoo's delivery area. Unfortunately, Jinwoo is bad with direction to place he's not familiar with. So he frequently get lost when he did the delivery.

He gets even more famous with customers now when he works as the CSR, Jinwoo get reputation for getting many orders from girls who want to see him. He is flattered with all the attention but sometimes it's tiring because his shifts are the most crowded.

There's no way I can tell this story to Irene.

Jinwoo:

It's busy and tiring but the salary is not bad. How about you?

Irene:

It's hard.

Before you asked why it's hard, the answer is because I have this so-called "Resting face".

When I don't smile, people say I look intimidating and a little bit scary.

So my manager always nags me to consistently smile.

The other coworkers often slacking in their job and only pretend to be busy if the manager came.

The only one who keeps me sane is my bestfriend, Seulgi.

She's the one who recommend me to work with her there.

Jinwoo:

It sounds like a bother.

Do people often misunderstand you because of that?

Irene:

Some people might think I'm unfriendly or haughty before they even know more about me.

I don't really care about what they thought, but unfortunately there's many cases when you need to mind what people think about you because it might affect your life.

Jinwoo:

True. Particularly since I dream to be an actor, what people think about me might affect my career.

Irene:

Btw, why do you want to be an actor? Is that your childhood dream?

Jinwoo:

I love to watch drama and always admired those actors on TV.

T hey can express a wide range of emotions and breathe life to a character that incites people's emotion.

By being an actor, you can live various lives that aren't your own life.

T hen I thought to myself, how great it would feel if I could also be like that.

Irene:

I also have keen interest in acting because I want to explore myself.

I have a similar reason with dancing.

Don't you feel that as an artist sometimes we're emotionally imbalance?

Art is the medium in which we pour that imbalance to feel stable again.

In this emotionally repressed society, we habitually stuff down our uncomfortable emotions.

We force all negative feelings into deep corner of our mind until life feels heavy.

Jinwoo:

I think there's many people unconsciously suppress their negative felling.

We push those emotions into the darkness parts of ourselves.

Irene:

Everyone has baggage and sometimes we need to unpack.

Acting and dancing helps me to unpack that baggage.

It's like peering into the dark corners of my mind in which I hidden all those emotions and unlock the door.

Whenever I'm dancing I feel free to express myself and I feel alive.

How about you?

Jinwoo:

I feel the same way.

That's why I choose this road.

At first, my parents opposed my dream to be an actor.

According to them, it's a risky jobs with a lot uncertainty.

Since I don't want to disappoint my family, initially I obey them and choose to inherit my father's business.

But it seems I'm not ready to give up on my dream.

Hence, I went to Seoul, attend an art college and pursue my career.

It's not easy but this is what I want to be.

Irene:

Do you ever regret your choice?

Jinwoo:

For me, giving up is worse than failing, so I pressed on.

Irene:

You seem so mature.

To be honest, initially I have doubt when I read your message and almost don't reply.

Jinwoo:

Why is that? There's something wrong with my message?

Irene:

No.

It's just the first person that I met through the website pisses me off and I almost don't want to try again.

Jinwoo:

May I know the reason?

Irene:

After we chat for about 1 week, he start offering me his service.....

Jinwoo:

Service? What service?

He's trying to sell products to you?

There's a long pause between his question and her answer. Jinwoo started thinking maybe he shouldn't ask about that when the familiar notification came to his phone.

Irene:

Well, it turns out he's a gigolo. After that, I terribly wary when talking with stranger

Jinwoo almost choked when he read it. Okay. So this is one of the dark side of dating websites.

Jinwoo:

Now I understand why it took you a long time to reply my message.

But I'm happy you decide to talk with me.

Irene:

The last time I check my account was 1,5 months ago so I was surprised when I login and found I get new message.

Jinwoo:

Mind if I ask you something?

Irene:

What do you want to know?

Jinwoo:

Since both of us attend Art College, I wonder if we have met before.

By the way, I attend YG University of Art and Design.

Irene:

Life must be joking with me.

Reading her answer gives Jinwoo the creeps. What if she's really someone from his college? He could not imagine the embarrassment.

Jinwoo:

What is it?

Irene:

I'm from SM College of Art.

YG and SM have history of rivalry that goes for years that almost as intense as Real Madrid versus Barcelona. Both have been fighting for supremacy as the best and most popular art college in Korea.