"Mum! I'm off!" I shout, taking off my apron.

She emerged from the back, wiping her hands on a dish cloth.

"You sure about this?" She asked, coming up to me.

I grinned, "Do you really want to go through this debate again?"

She sighed and shook her head. After ahjusshi left last week, all we talked about was his offer. At first, I was uncertain about it. Life would definitely be different if I got casted. I'd probably get a little more attention than I would like from the public too.

But then again, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Meeting a star, and actually 'getting married' to him. It wasn't really the fame that beckoned me, it was more of the thought that I'd finally have someone there for me. Even if it was just for show. Plus, he could introduce as expose me more to the Korean culture too. Mother wasn't too thrilled though. She said that I'd get caught up in the entertainment world and soon enough, I'd be asking for a nose-job and an audition to be the next Girls' Generation.

"This isn't you," she had told me.

"Then what's 'me'? Being the girl that accepts everything that comes her way? Never saying what she wants? Never ever being selfish?" I had asked back slightly snappy. It wasn't that I was mad, I guess my lack of sleep from the past few days had gotten to me.

Mother immediately felt guilty. "I didn't mean in that way... Mi Young,I just-" she paused and cupped my cheek, "-I just don't want you to get hurt. I'm your mother after all."

I placed my hand over hers, "I know what I'm doing, Mum. I'm already graduating from High School and I think I'm more than capable of being responsible for my own actions. I'm not stupid."

Mother had looked down then, like she couldn't bear letting me go for the audition.

"Plus, nobody said I was going I get it! Mum, don't worry about me, okay? All the girls are probably going to be super pretty and witty anyway." I tried to cheer her up.

She laughed and looked up, "They'll know how to write Korean properly too."

I frowned, but was smiling. "Don't go there!"

We both laughed and I took it that Mum had been put to rest. There wasn't much to say anyway, I had long since made my decision. And not even Mum could stop me.

As I grabbed my purse of the hook on the wall, I could tell Mum was having a hard time trying to contain her worry. Her eyebrows were crunched up as she watched me double-check all the documents I needed and crossed her arms tightly across her chest. It was obvious she was trying to hold back what she was saying. Turning to look at her, I smiled widely. She came up to me and took my hands, "Go knock them dead, cowgirl."

I rolled my eyes but disentangled my hands from hers and wrapped my arms around her.

"Don't be such a worry wart, I'll be fine. And of course I'll knock them dead," I stepped back and flipped my hair over my shoulder dramatically.

"I'm Lee Mi Young afterall."

***

The girls really were pretty. Like, drop-dead gorgeous kind of pretty.

Their straight noses and flawless skin glowed with perfection. And their skin! White and creamy, like a porcelain doll placed in a world way too dull for her.

As I sat in one of the plastic chairs lined along the walls of MBC's main building, I watched the girls around me with wary eyes. Most of them were with their mums or managers, and only I had come unaccompanied. I thought we were auditioning for the role of a 'normal girl' so there'd be a contrast between the girl and the idol? These girls looked like they could be idols themselves. Except they all had pure black hair; they must've still been students.

"I need a touch-up," the petite girl beside me whispered out. Her dainty voice was tainted with pride and arrogance, nothing like what she portrayed on the surface.

The woman on her left who I assumed was her manager immediately whipped out a compact powder and started dabbing the girl's face with the sponge.

I turned away and rolled my eyes. Really now, did they not know what they were signing up for? Or did all 'normal' Korean girls have people attending to them 24/7 when they needed touch-ups or whatnots. As more girls left the waiting area to get interviewed in the room behind the wooden door diagonally away from me, I started to get nervous. I hardly went for interviews and in my small pool of experiences of it, most weren't pleasant.

My interview with my current high school; got questioned thoroughly about my hair. My interview for several fast-food restaurants before giving in to working for Mum : Got questioned thoroughly about my hair. I was certain someone was conspiring against my hair. Or maybe it was because after seeing my document that stated I was still in school, many of them disapproved of my 'rebellion'.

"Well, here I go." The doll beside me said, rising at the call of her name.

Raising my head to watch her walk off, she threw one last smug glance at me; as if to tell me that she'd definitely get this - and me and my chestnut hair could get lost before I made a fool of myself.

I grunted and rolled my eyes. After debating for so long, there was no way I was backing out of this now. Mum would never let me live this down if I gave up halfway too.

Gripping on to my skirt tightly, I told myself to chill out.

"You got this," I muttered silently to myself.

Hopefully the interviewers would feel the same.

***

There were four of them at the long table. As I stood in front of them, I felt their eyes take in my facial features, my body, and my aura. Was I pretty enough? Was I slim enough? Was I good enough to be paired up with an idol?

Even though it was true that they wanted 'normal girls' to be paired up with idols, I was pretty sure they didn't want a true plain Jane to be on the show either.

"Lee Mi Young?" One woman asked, shuffling around with the papers I had handed her.

Ahjusshi was seated in the centre, next to her. And when he saw me come in, he gave me a smile and raised a fist as if to say 'fighting'.

"Yes," I answered as I clenched and unclenched my fist a few times.

Finally, all four of them stopped shuffling papers around and focused all their attention on me. The slim woman all the way on my left with the face of an eagle was first to speak.

"You're a student, yes?"

I nodded. "And your school allows its students to dye their hair? Or...?" She asked yet again.

Ah, yes. The hair question. I had already prepared to turn this question around into my favor.

"Well, I just arrived from the States. So I wasn't aware that I couldn't dye my hair. But the school has let it go for now, and I'm thinking of keeping it this way." I give a hesitant smile and lightly touch my hair.

"It's very pretty on you," eagle woman says. Despite her too-sharp features, she smiles.

"Thank you! Because of this, I really stand out in school." I laugh nervously.

The four adults smile kindly at me as the man all the way on the other side of the table starts to speak.

"And you know what this show is about, right?"

"Affirmitive," I say.

The four of the nod at my response and scribble on pieces of paper.

"And is there a particular idol you'd like to be paired with?" The same man asks again.

Raising my hand to my chin, I gently tapped it with my fingers. I guess I should be honest, I thought.

"Well, as previously mentioned, I just came from the States and I'm not familiar with the entertainment industry here. So, I can't really tell you who I'd like to be paired with."

All of their eyes widened except for ahjusshi who gives me a knowing smile.

"Are you saying you don't know any idols?" He asked in surprise.

"I know Super Junior and Girls' Generation?" I say pathetically.

"But if I had to pick...maybe someone who's this tall?" I place a hand over my head.

"And isn't too boisterous or showy. I like being the noisy one in the relationship." This made the four adults laugh.

I smiled.

"And you speak English?" The woman who had asked for my name earlier spoke again.

"Yes. I speak English and Korean fluently. But I..." I stopped mid-sentence. Uh-oh.

My inability to write Hangul. I just realized how much of a negative trait it was. But then again, I wasn't prepared to lie. Nope, if I was going to this, I was going to this with honesty.

"I can't write Hangul." I say softly. The four of them frowned a bit, even ahjusshi.

"I'm sure that won't be a problem," ahjusshi breaks the fragile silence suddenly, capping his pen.

"You're taking lessons to learn, I assume?" He reached his hand out to me as I fell down the pit of disappointment.

I smile slightly, " Yes. I go every Sunday night, so I've never actually watched an episode of We Got Married too." I take his hand and thank him over and over in my mind.

The other three adults finally smile at my admittance to have never watched an episode of their production.

"I'm sure that won't be a problem as well," the woman next to ahjusshi says.

"But just to conclude things, why did you decide to audition for this show? And what are your personal expectations for this?"

My face turns serious.

"A lot has happened since I left the States. I decided to audition for this show because I want...one thing to be right in my life. This is sort of a new start for me. And I have to admit, this show sounds quite brilliant to me, whoever who came up with the plot's a genius." I smirk at ahjusshi who gives me a small eye-roll.

"And what I expect from this show? I'm not about to be demanding here. I just want some good company and someone to teach me more about the Korean culture." Concluding, I give a small smile.

My answers were entirely honest, and they could either take it or leave it.

"Good company..." Eagle woman echoes and the four adults laugh.

"Thank you so much for coming down today, Mi Young. The results of today's auditions should be out in a few days. We'll call you," the other woman concludes.

"Kamsahamnida," I bow, give the four of them a final smile before exiting.

When I was outside, I immediately slumped against the wall by the door. I was so nervous about the interview beforehand that I felt entirely exhausted the minute it was over.

Slowly reviewing my interview over in my head, I found absolutely no hitches except for that one moment of disbelief when I told them I couldn't write Hangul. I wondered if that was a big enough reason not to cast me.

As I walked out of the building, I extracted my phone from my bag and started to dial Mum's number. She was probably dying to hear how my audition had went.

"Hey mum..." I feigned sadness and disappointment when the line connected.

Walking down the steps, I was surprised to see hordes of girls at the bottom of them, holding up placards and yelling at the top of their voices.

"Did it not go well?" Mum asked, sympathy soaking her voice.

As I got nearer to the crowd, I could hear them chanting for their idols. I glanced at their humongous sign boards, but being impaired in reading Hangul as well, I could only make out the first few letters.

S...H..I? That was an 'I' right.

I avoided the throngs of people and took a detour, walking all the way to my left where the steps were deserted.

"Well...actually Mum...I THINK THEY LOVED ME!" I cried out in English at the last part, excitement ringing in every word.

At that moment, a black van pulled up in front of me. For a moment, I was stunned. I wasn't about to be kidnapped, right? Don't take the candy. Don't take the candy, I told myself anxiously as doors slid open. First, a dorky looking man stepped out. He scanned the area before allowing the other passengers out. Temporarily paralyzed with fear and confusion, I stood rooted to the spot. Five boys proceeded to alight from the van with grace. But he was the last I saw before a tide of fan girls raced over from my right, shoving me out of the way as they clawed and called for their idols.

Looks like they had no intentions of kidnapping me after all.

As more girls joined the already humongous crowd, I got pushed further and further away from the scene. Soon, the black van was a good 20 meters away from me. Shaking my head, I turned and started towards the bus-stop. Wait. Wasn't I talking to someone before this?

"Omo!" I cried, quickly pressing the phone back to my ear.

Quickly apologizing to my mother for forgetting about her, she tutted at me.

"What was all the ruckus about anyway? It was so noisy."

I shrugged, "Nah. Just some crazy fans."

And as I put more and more distance between me and the hormonal crowd of girls, all I could here was them screaming and screaming for their idols, SHINee.

It was an 'I' afterall.

A/N:

Hello :)

So I decided to put up chapter 3! hehe. I hope you guys are liking the story so far. humm. I might get a banner (or whatever you call it) soon. so. :)

ANTICIPATE PEOPLE. ANTICIPATE. :)

Comment. Suscribe. Whatever you want to do.

xo