Chapter 8: The KTV

The next morning, I got myself ready for Day 2: the search for my missing friend.

When I got to Hongdae, my first stop was the internet café. I thought checking my e-mail would be a good idea, in case Devon sent me something. I logged in to my e-mail, crossed my fingers and hoped for at least one message from Devon, but as soon as the page loaded, there was nothing but spams.

I got a little more hopeless. But I couldn’t give her up. I’ve come this far.

I continued looking for her, showing our photo to people in shops I passed by. I walked in a CD shop and saw albums of INFINITE. I chuckled lightly, thinking of the real personalities of these guys and the happenings just the night ago.

The CD shop wasn’t that crowded. Only a handful of people were in there, when I heard the ringing of the bells attached to the doors, signalling the owner that there are new customers. I didn’t bother, but I heard the noise the new customers made. It was annoying. They were laughing, talking about how someone’s voice can get so bad.

I glanced at them with a frown, only to find out that they were.. INFINITE?! No, it’s not them. There were just three guys. Oh wait, it’s Hoya, Dongwoo and Sungjong.

Not again, I thought. I would really look like a stalker this time. I tried to hide as best as I could. When they started walking towards the international CDs shelf, where I was at, apparently, I hid my face with a Mariah Carey album.  It wasn’t the best disguise, but it worked. I heard their footsteps backing away. I put down the CD and saw Dongwoo and Hoya’s backs. I felt relieved, but my heart almost stopped beating when Jong appeared from behind, his both hands landed on my back.

“Dongsaeng!” he said, surprised. “You’re here too! What a coincidence.”

I acted as if I was shocked too. “Oppa! Yea, what a coincidence.” I scratched my nape. “What are you guys doing here?”

He scanned the international CDs section and answered, “The boss invited us to the noraebang. The rest of the INFINITE members are in the KTV right now. Oh, Lady Gaga.” He held up Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance album.

“Then why are you three here? Shouldn’t you be there with the others?” I asked him.

“I told them I wanted to go to the Record bar for a bit to check out on 2NE1’s albums. So Hoya hyung and Dongwoo hyung went with me.”

Wow, so it’s true. He was really a fan of 2NE1.

He turned to me, “What about you? Are you looking for your friend in this store?”

“Yea. I thought she would stop by here, but nope, I asked the owner if they saw my friend. Negative.” I sighed.

“Oh, sorry. I wonder if there’s something we can do,” he said. And then Hoya called on him, “Ya, Sungjong. What’s taking so lo-” he stopped when he saw me. “Oh, dongsaeng. You again?” he giggled. “Are you stalking on us?” he asked jokingly.

“Yes, I definitely am,” I answered back. And we laughed.

They invited me to join them in the noraebang, but I was so shy. I refused the invitation a couple of times, but you can’t always say no to these boys. In the end, they had successfully persuaded me and pulled me out of the record bar, and we headed to the noraebang just across the street that has a big sign that said, “노래방”. Obviously, it’s noraebang written in Korean.

Sungjong entered the room first, and said that he has a surprise for everyone, especially to the boss. I wondered why it would be special to the boss who hadn’t met me yet. He then pulled me in, and said, “Jjang!” which surprised everyone. They clapped as they gave me one of the microphones and pushed me in the center of the room. They chanted, “Sing! Sing! Sing!”

Apparently, when they did that, Sungyeol was holding the other microphone. The moment I stood in the center, he put the microphone on the table and sat, leaving me alone, standing. The boss was a bit amused by what’s happening. I saw the look on his face, sort of like he was wondering why some random girl just pops out of nowhere and starts to sing in the noraebang, with INFINITE as her audience.

Jong asked me as he held the remote with two hands, “What do you wanna sing?”

I hesitated. I thought fast, and answered, “I’ll back off so you can live by G.NA.” Everyone cheered, except for Sungyeol. I noticed he suddenly changed moods, from being hyper, to being anti-social. Now he just sat in one corner drinking canned tea. Myung was beside him, holding the tambourine. Gyu and Nam were both eating dried bananas. Hoya and Dongwoo were beside the boss. And the boss, well, he just looked at me.

I started singing, and the moment I sang the first line, everyone fell silent.

“Kkeojeo julge jal sar a…”

Myung stopped playing the tambourine. Sungjong squeezed in between Gyu and Nam.

“Ddok bbaro yaegi hae, nal bogoseo..” And then I noticed the boss was holding up his iPhone.He was filming me. I got a little self-conscious, but I went on with the song.

When I came to the rap part, Dongwoo and Hoya started cheering. “WHOOO!” they cupped their mouths.

I continued singing, and finished the song. By that time, everyone was cheering. Gyu dropped his jaws, and said, “I didn’t expect you had THAT kind of voice. It’s unbelievable,” he stood and gave me a hug. He was so proud of me. Nam looked at him, and said, “Hey, why does she get a hug and I don’t?” Gyu then hugged him.

Nam turned to me after he broke his hug with Gyu, and said, “Ya, good job, dongsaeng! Now I’m grateful for saving you. If I didn’t,” he pouted, “..then the world must have lost a great singer.” I chuckled. “Thank you, oppa!”

Myung protested. “Hey, what do you mean you saved her? I helped!” he said, pointing his index finger at his nose.

“Me too!” Dongwoo shouted from the back.

“She wouldn’t have made it if Jong and I didn’t bring her to the clinic,” added Hoya. Jong smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up.

The boss smiled as he looked at his phone, and said, “What’s your name?”

“I’m Lily Mendoza, sir.”

I was smiling the whole time. I was so happy they appreciated me, not to mention that I performed in front of INFINITE and their boss privately.

But then the momentum plummeted when Sungyeol said, “She’s not that good. Your high notes are crappy,” and he strode out of the room. Everyone fell silent again, their eyes followed Yeol as he went out.

I was left there, my mouth open, and I gathered all my strength and followed him outside. I was so mad. Like, SO, SO mad. He was really getting into my nerves. I made a fist and pulled up my sleeves. Jong tried to stop me, but I told him, “Please let me hit him just once. Just this once.” He let go of me, and I opened the door and went out.

Lee Sungyeol, I thought. This time, you shall not pass.