CHAPTER 3

       “I can’t believe it you bluffed her that way! What a poor girl,” Jessica said in concern while looking at me. I stretched my arms nonchalantly and flashed an innocent smile toward her.

       “Hey, who asked her to believe me that easy?” I giggled.

       “Huh, what if she didn’t buy your lie? What would you say?”

       “Oh, it’s piece of cake,” I said cockily. “I’m King of Improvisation, if you forget,” I displayed a sly grin toward her. “I’d just told her that I had connection with police department or so, or whatever that seemed possible to give me any information about the phone number. I was sure she would buy it. Moreover, she was really panic, Sica. She’s so freakin’ out of losing her jerk boyfriend. Hmmm…,” I trailed off and touched my chin as I suddenly thought about her.

       “What?” Jessica asked curiously.

       “I wonder how she looks like,” I replied.

       “Huh?” Jessica frowned. “Did she already tell you…”

       I hastily lifted my hand and shook my head, still hanging a smile on my face.

       “Aigoooo, Sica-baby,” I chimed in.

       “How a girl could on earth tell her bad appearance in such a blunt and straightforward way like her? It’s already been common knowledge that when it came to girl, no matter her origin, her age, her race, her religion, or her whatever, they would never reveal the real truth about them… Otherwise, they’d always “reduce” their size, “upgrade” their look, and “manipulate” their appearance. It’s had already been a rule, rite?”

       Jessica gasped hearing my explanation. I widened my smile.

       “Hell,” she mumbled. “I hate to admit this but yeah, you’re really smart and perceptive, Kim Taeyeon.”

       “Oh no worries,” I grinned and rose from my chair. “It’s not first time I heard you told me so,” I giggled and dropped quick peck on her cheek.

       “Let’s follow me. It’s time to enjoy the show,” I dragged her toward the broadcasting room.

       Actually, the show that had been an issue today was a kind of variety show with “entertaining” genre and… frankly, today was a first episode on air. And I was the producer of the show. I wanted to make it different with any other show, so for the first episode I insisted to broadcast it live without any editing thing. I wanted it flow naturally and by that I hope it would reach high rating.

       It was kind of game show, which I had already chose some comedians to join this show. The games would be different for each episode, and the rule about the game was up to creative team. I counted it on them. Initially it supposed to involve 4 popular comedians in this country, but as you already known, one of them just cancelled it due to some reason in last hours. I had no choice with it, so… when suddenly someone named Mushroom sent the text to me I just thought I was indeed a lucky one. I could use her! Hahahaha… I didn’t really know why but I really trusted my instinct. My instinct never let me down during this time.

TH

       Meet someone named Kwon Yuri. She’d explain you about the game.

       I puckered up my face just like already tasted the lemon juice after reading the text. What it was about???? Game? What game? I really didn’t get it. But now as I had already reached the huge building that lately I just realized it was Kim Company… I knew I couldn’t just step backward. Moreover… hell, the most important thing was… the Big Boss would never be glad if I made any mess with her. Remember that, Tiffany.

       Losing in my thought for a moment, I didn’t see her coming. A tall-dark skin-beautiful girl walked toward me, getting approach me and smiled warmly.

       “Tiffany Hwang?” she greeted me friendly. I nodded, still confuse.

       “I’m Kwon Yuri. Just call me Yuri and make yourself comfortable,” she explained. Her hospitality, in some way, made me felt slightly relax.

        “I’m head of creative team on this production. Please follow me,” she added again, making me confuse even more. I forced a smile. Nervous smile.

       “Jamkan,” I managed myself to say. She stopped at her track and looked at me.

       “I… I really confuse about it… I don’t get it at all. W-what game?”

       Yuri frowned at me. “My friend didn’t tell you?” she asked wonderingly.

       “Kim Taeyeon didn’t tell you yet? I thought she’d already told you about it.”

       “She just told me to meet you and did what she wanted. You’d explain it to me later. Now… would you like to explain me?”

       “Oh my God,” Yuri slapped her forehead dramatically. “I suppose to know that. That kid… aigooo… Okay… I’d give you short briefing because we really have no much time. Today a new program is planned to be broadcasted… It is a kind of entertaining game. All the things you need to do are only playing it and let it flow naturally.”

       “Oh,” I heaved a relief breath. “I don’t think it’s hard,” I said bluntly.

       Later, I just knew, I was totally wrong.

TY

       3… 2… 1…

       I widened my eyes, jolted in shock and surprise as I finally found the girl named Tiffany Mushroom. I saw her on broadcasting room. God… Was it her??? Really??? She was really… B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. I didn’t exaggerate at all. I swore she was the most beautiful girl I ever seen in this world. Alive. And what the… xxxx with thing called “ugly”, “out of date”, and “unfashionable”????? Shoot…. I knew, I meant I knew she wasn’t that “ugly” like I had analyzed before but…

       But… man! Crap! It was even not near to what described as ugly.

       She’s amazing, gorgeous, stunning, whatever! And her smile… Ouch, every time she smiled her eyes were smiling along with her… Ouch, her smile really could kill every people alive… and what kind of jerk who played with her heart? Was he moron?????

       “Tae…,” I heard Jessica called out my name; I knew as well she had already been mesmerized by the girl as well.

       I nodded my head. “I knew what you’re thinking about. This girl…”

       We said in unison. “Is so damn beautiful.”

TH

       Here I was. Standing like a dumb in between three comedians. One was the fat one, one was the super thin one, and one was a curly fatty woman the people recognized as the shameless comedian ever. And one was me – a girl who really came to the wrong place and wrong time. T.T

       “Now I’d read the regulation for the game!” the host said cheerfully. I was about to cry.

       “As you see there’s four groups surrounded us. They’re the volunteer… We don’t know them and yet don’t have any deal with them as well! All of each groups had their favorite songs we’d play later after you’d already picked them! So all the things you need to do are only quick picking one group and once the song is played, you have to dance and dubbing it in such a way to be match with the song! Contestant who gave higher point from the audiences will win the game!”

(Ah… I see… So… Just pick out one of them and follow the song. It still seems… not that hard…)

       I stole a glance toward them. There’re group of children, group of teenager, group of family, and group of ahjumma.

       Secretly, I’d planned to run toward the children and chose them. In my consideration, I thought the children’s favorite song supposed to be kind of children song. And it supposed to be simple and short one. I didn’t need to make much choreography and just dubbed it in easy way. That’s all! Rite. Rite. Rite.

       You’re indeed brilliant, Tiffany!! I smirked in victory afterward. But…

       But… I might forget that…

       I didn’t live in a perfect world. T.T

       I might forget that… not everything would work out as we wanted…

       Once the whistle been blown up, the three contestants had already hustled over the people and approached them, and I???? I seemed so dumbfounded and late to move.

       SHOOT! I was lateeee!!!! How come they moved so damn fast???

       All of my hope went glimmering once I found the thin one already approached the children group.

When I was about to turn to the family, I was late as well. The fat one had already picked out them. And when I was about to approach the teenager group… again, I was late. The fatty ahjumma had already stood in front of them.

       So, I had no choice. I walked reluctantly approaching ahjumma group.

       Do you have any idea why I put them on my bottom list?

       Because I considered they would pick some “trot” song. It would turn into a big disaster to me, completed my day today.

       I had no idea at all about trot song. I was born and raised up in States. And… how could I dubbing a song that I have no idea at all???

       Don’t be panic, Tiffany, I heard myself calmed down me. You might over-thinking. It wasn’t a certainty, right? The ahjumma group might have another favorite song. Don’t be panic. Okay?

       First turn was the thin one. As I’d expected, it was really a simple children song… Hiks… A song titled “Kom Sae Mari” was played and the thin comedian was successfully gestured and mimicked it in such a funny way. Everyone burst into laughter and he reached score 70, out from 100.

       In some way, somehow, it really made me nervous.

       What if I ended up so boring? What if in the end there were no people laughing at me? What if I messed it all????

       Didn’t have much time to think, the second player had already play. The fat comedian’s turn.

       The family group picked “Naengmyeon” song as their favorite one. In a blink, the atmosphere just started even been merrier. Everybody was bright and following the rhythm. The fat comedians, as I’d predicted as well, just successes did a great job.

       My heart felt pumping faster. Focus. Focus, Tiffany. It’s easy. Just follow the rhythm and do it. And everything would be okay… You can do it. You can do it…

       Now was the fatty curly ahjumma’s turn. I wondered which song that had been their favorite… Not long afterward, Gee song from SNSD was heard!

       The ahjumma seemed so confident and made her move in purpose to trigger our laughter. And it just worked out so well!!! We’re all burst into laughter witnessing her dorky crab dance. Finally she got score 85… The highest score amongst us… (excluding me)

       I gulped and felt sudden twinge came from my stomach.

       Hell. What am I doing here??????? I wanted to take thousands feet away from here, but seemed my leg just trembled and betrayed me.

       I prayed silently. Don’t “trot” song… Don’t “trot” song… please.

      And God granted my prayer!

       Should I be happy???

       NO!!!!! I was almost cry like a crazy once I noticed the song was

(WHO LET’S THE DOG OUT?? BARK BARK BARK BARK…

WHO LET’S THE DOG OUT?? BARK BARK BARK BARK…)

       Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, I suddenly danced vehemently like a maniac, following the song and rhythm. I myself really had no idea about me that time. I didn’t feel shame, shy, or whatever it called anymore.

       I totally played my role. I barked in every part I supposed to “bark” and I heard the crowd kept yelling me punctuated with their laughter.

       I stuck out my tongue in part I supposed to do.

       (Just listen to the song so you could imagine it)

       It was really crazy.

       It was really the craziest “bin” humiliating thing ever I ever did in my life!

       I danced and dubbed passionately until I didn’t notice the song had already ended.

       Afterward I felt like regain my soberness again and found my face blushed and turned into red… as I knew the camera didn’t shot at me anymore, I hastily run toward the backstage while kept covering my embarrassment face…

       WHAT THE HELL I WAS JUST DOING???????

       I caught Yuri got approached me. She looked so satisfied with what I was doing but still I felt so dumb did all the humiliating things. It’s really crazy. Now most of Korean citizen would recognize me. Dumb-Mushroom… Even if it was uploaded in youtube, the more people would notice me as well… Oh my God!!! What would my parents say????

       I plastered up my best smile and pleaded her in such a way.

       “Would you like to cut my part? It’s really humiliated…,” I begged her. She smiled and patted my shoulder.

       I smiled in relief when I caught she nodded her head.

       “I’d like to help you,” she said. I suddenly jumped into her and hugged her.

       “Thank you!!!” I yelled in excitement. But she released me from the hug, making me thought I was too over-acting.

       “Owh… jwesonghamnida. I was too happy you’d like to…” I apologized in very formal way.

       “Oh, don’t get me wrong. It’s not about your hug,” she quickly chimed in.

       I remained silence, anticipating what she was going to tell.

       “I said I’d like to help you, but otherwise, sorry, I can’t make it this time.”

       “WHATTTTT?????” I screamed in horror.

       “It’s live…,” she trailed off. “And no editing part…”

       “Did... Taeyeon… don’t… tell… you… again…?”

to be continued...

How is it??? How lets the dog out? Huh? HEHEHE

Really, couldn't bear it if it happened in real life!