<><><><>---- (What) Give it to me, (What) Be nervouse (What) The one to end it al. We are bulletproof -----<><><><>

Erin’s POV

After that amusing debacle at with my cousin (and his interestingly blushing face while getting all the girls’ numbers), the eight of us felt well rested and full on the way to practice. Chanyeol had the mind to get a van taxi so that all of us could fit in and not have to worry about splitting the taxi fee.

At the company, we had to film a short presentation on the extension of the concert tour, a promo put together by the publication department that would go on youtube by tomorrow as a surprise to the EXO fans who would be able to get tickets. The girls were included because it was a very simple layout for the advertisement, it was us all practicing, so that included the dance stages that we were a part of. The committee in charge of the promo had us cover most of our faces with large brimmed hats, but otherwise said that it would be good to draw excitement to the concerts from how mysterious we were, and slowly introducing ChecK-Mate at the same time.

Practice was surprisingly easier now after two concert venues, the teachers had less to teach us and were more worried about us keeping the moves crisp and not look like we felt bored after dancing the same thing more than fifty times. They let the girls go off for a break later after the practices with the boys, saying we’d have to be back by 8 pm for the group practice as ChecK-Mate. The boys wanted to go play with us but they all had one individual schedule or another. I was surprised however when Lay called me, asking if I wanted to go see Namsan Express Bus Terminal Station (an underground shopping district off of a subway station) for some shopping, I guess everyone had heard I got my first pay check from the concerts. Who was I to decline those dimples?

The other girls went off to buy make up or something near Gangnam, but I waited for Lay’s individual practice to end at the company by using an empty practice room. I didn’t really want to practice “Two Moons” again, God knows how many times I’ve said “Ayo Wassup” in the last month, so I put on a random CD in the room, seeing what would show up.

Of course it just so happened to be an EXO CD, there was a mix of Korean and Chinese songs on it, ranging from MAMA to Growl. Shamefully, being the EXO-mania that I am, I knew most of the dances, especially “Growl”. I did about ten songs, just going through the motions to stay active; I felt a little sluggish after that huge breakfast and wanted to do something while I waited.

“You dance very well.” A voice startled me, announcing Lay’s presence. I stopped in the middle of dancing (and maybe singing a little if I was being honest) to the Chinese version of MAMA.

“Thank you, Lay-sunbaenim.” I gave a small nod of my head to show respect, I wasn’t that close with him yet so I didn’t want to seem disrespectful by calling him a title that was too friendly.

“Oh you don’t need to do that, you can just call me Yixing-oppa.” He flashed me a dimple filled smile.

<><><><>----- I pulled all-nighters at practice rooms instead of school, dancing and singing -----<><><><>

Lay’s POV

She was very respecting, and sensible. Unlike many of the girls, she talked only when she really had something to ask or say, instead of seeming to ramble just to fill any silence that fell between us.

“I’m surprised, can you go to Gosok? It’s super crowded there all the time I’ve heard, won’t you be recognized?” She asked, genuine concern lacing her voice.

“Not likely, I only have a few things that I want to buy before going on the rest of the tour, and I’ll be wearing a hat. People don’t recognize me as well as the other members.” She still seemed surprised by this, but said nothing else when we set off for the nearest subway station.

“Uh, it’s been a while since I’ve used the subway . . . the managers always pick us up because we go to the salon a lot for hair and make-up maintenance.” She seemed hesitant on how to use her T-card (bus card) and I chuckled, never thinking that I would be the one to show a Korean person how to travel around in Korea.

“It’s simple, just scan and if it’s green, walk thru” I demonstrated.

“Ahh,” She followed my example and passed through without any difficulty.

We didn’t talk on the train, you aren’t supposed to really, most forms of public transportation in Korea are very quiet places.

We got off at the Bus terminal shopping district, and I realized it was mid afternoon and Erin and I both hadn’t eaten lunch yet.

“Are you hungry?” I asked her. She looked a bit sheepish.

“Is it that obvious?” She asked. I shook my head,

“I’m hungry too, that’s the only reason I really remembered” The two of us found a small noodle shop near the entrance of the shopping district and found a private-ish booth in the back. She looked cute, her face scrunched up in concentration when she was trying to decide what she would order. I on the other hand had been here numerous times and the owner knew me by name.

“Eejing!” The accented pronunciation of my name caused both of us to turn our heads, it was the shop owner’s daughter. She’s a cute little girl, about five years old, who had said hi to me the first time I walked in saying “You’re cheeks are like mine!” dimples in full view whenever she smiled at me.

 “Sora!” I grinned at her and then picked her up and set her on my lap.

“Who’s this little princess?” Erin asked, she smiled at Sora with warmth, and the little girl gleeful waved back.

“I’m Sora!” She declared, making the two of us laugh in delight at the happiness she radiated. “Who are you?” She asked the older girl.

“I’m Joonhee-unnie” Sora looked at Erin thoughtfully.

“You’re pretty Joonie-unnie!” Erin giggled, thanking the little girl.

“Aigoo, Sora. When did you wander off?”The store owner, a woman in her mid-thirties that looked aged beyond her years, came up to our table and started to apologize for Sora until she recognized me.

“Yijing! How are you? How was Beijing? Did you get to see your family?” She asked me, I smiled at the older woman, she was especially helpful when I first came to Korea, making authentic Chinese noodles specially off the menu that made me less homesick on days I missed my mother.

“Hello Mrs. Han. The concert was good, my family flew in from Changsa and stayed at the same hotel as us.” The older woman smiled at me,

“I’m glad, you deserve a reward for all the hard work these past few years.” I thanked her,

“Who’s this lovely lady?” She asked me, nodding to Erin who smiled in greeting. “Your girlfriend? She is quite pretty,” I could tell Erin instantly reddened,

“Oh no ma’am. My name is Choi Joonhee, I uh-“ She didn’t seem sure if it was alright to tell Mrs. Han that she was a trainee,

“She dances with our group sometimes, she’s very good.” I helped her, “She’s from America so I wanted to show her some of the shopping districts before we leave for the rest of our tour.”

“Really! America? Oh, how long were you there?”

“I was born there and lived most of my life in Chicago.” She exchanged some pleasantries with Mrs. Han, not giving much away until the owner took our order,

“Would you like the same thing as Yijing? He gets something from off the menu,” The owner explained, the teenager nodded,

“Yes please,” Sora went off with her mother, not before giving me a kiss on my right dimple.

I told Erin about all the times I’d come here alone after practice, sometimes not even to eat but just to be around a woman who reminded me so much of my mom and made me feel safe.

“So that’s why you brought me? To show me the sights?” She asked,

“Not only that,” There was no way around it, I was tired of seeing her hang around only Chanyeol, he was always went to hang with SNSD after he dropped Erin off at the girls’ dorms. “I wanted to bring you here to spend time with you, I’m one of the only members who haven’t been out with you since you came to SM, and you’re fun. Plus,” I smiled knowingly at her, “Didn’t you just get your first pay check? They should’ve given you a reasonable amount of money after four concerts and a showcase,”

She grinned, “Well, more than what I made at any part-time job I had, but I still have a ton of money saved up because I haven’t been able to do any decent shopping since I came to Korea since I was thrown into training since the first night I was here,” I nodded sympathetically,

“All the money that my parents gave me the first time I came to Korea, I didn’t spend it until after almost a year of being here since I never found time or energy outside of training to spend it,” I laughed, “I was desperately low on summer clothes the first warm season I was here and had to train in long pants and long shirts for most of my first summer.” She laughed too,

“I brought some, I think I should be fine, but I really want to look at the clothes options here, I still dress so differently from the other girls because I dress like I did in Chicago. And my winter clothes do not look as nice as what the girls have here,” I waved her off,

“Most of the girl’s clothes here are less than 20,000 won a piece, you’ll get a whole new wardrobe if you spend your whole paycheck here,” She pulled out an envelope that seemed to be quite filled,

“That’s the plan,”

“No saving for make-up?” I joked with her,

“Wouldn’t know how to put it on anyway, maybe I’ll save some for food,” Our food came soon after that, and we finished in record time, starved from the morning’s practice.

“I’ll pay,” I told her when she asked how much the dish was,

“But I told you I wanted to spend my paycheck,” she protested,

“Nope, let your oppa pay for you,” I rushed to the store owner, “For the two of us,” giving her the exact amount, and dragging Erin out before she could try to go back and pay for her portion,

“Let’s hurry, don’t you have to be back at 8 for practice? It’s three right now, that gives us four hours to shop and then we can take a taxi back for you to drop your stuff at the dorm before your CM practice.” I told her, grabbing her hand so as not to lose her in the massive crowd that we suddenly faced at the entrance to the shopping area.

“Do you want to look for your stuff first or can we wander?” She asked me.

“We can wander, a lot of the shops have what I’m looking for so it’s just a matter of comparing prices for me.  What are you looking for?” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw our reflection when we passed a chop with a bunch of mirrors, it surprised me. We looked . . . like a couple. We were still holding hands, my hat and her glasses somehow complimented each other, her long hair the same color as the brown that was sticking out from underneath my cap. We both wore jackets, Erin’s was black, mine white. Her somewhat greyer complexion suited the bleached gray skinnies I was wearing today. Erin’s voice dragged me from my thoughts,

“Oh, look at that cap!” She dragged me physically by my hand to a tiny clothing outlet that had some hats she liked.

<><><><>----- When you guys partied, I gave up sleep for my dreams -----<><><><>

Erin’s POV

I have to admit, even though I wasn’t that nervous about going shopping with Yixing, I didn’t know what to expect, if it would be awkwardly silent most of the time or if I would make a fool of myself and babble, but I had fun. According to the smile on Yixing’s face, he did too.

“Think you got enough there?” He asked me, eyeing the several bags in each hand, and the bags that I had reluctantly carry for me, his stash a mere tenth of what I had bought.

“Well, the managers said that it would be good if I stuck with the ‘boyish’ look for now at airports because I attracted less attention than the girls who looked super pretty and caught a lot of attention from your fans who were wondering what they were doing with you guys,” It was true, the managers themselves had admitted that my quick pass through the airports were probably due to how unsuspecting girls were of guys than girls that traveled with EXO.

With that in mind, I had bought a lot of one-color skinnies, darker uni jackets and caps that could hold all of my hair. And the occasional girly thing that I just couldn’t pass, like a miniskirt that I had no choice but to buy before I ever saw it again.

<><><><>----- But I got lucky and was contacted by an agency -----<><><><>

“Excuse me miss, but do you have a second?” A man came up and stood right in front of me, stopping me, which stopped Yixing because we were still holding hands (I think I was starting to become too used to his hand, it was warm and soft).

“Uh, sorry?” I asked him. He handed me a card, Big Hit Entertainment it read in large English letters at the top that sounded familiar.

“I’m sorry but I’ve been following you for a while and you are extremely graceful. Are you perhaps a dancer? My company would love to have you,” The card said his name and that he was a scouting agent,

“I’m sorry but she’s not interested,” Yixing blocked me from the man, giving him his card back and whisking me away to the exit of the shopping district before the man knew I knew what had happened.

I was a bit stunned by what I think had just happened, but Yixing answered my suspicions in the cab.

“Well, good think you’re in SM otherwise you might have been partying with BTS after this.”

<><><><>----- Everywhere I go, Everything I do. I will show you, as much as I sharpened my sword -----<><><><>

 

Hey guys, so I suddenly got really interested in writing this story again, the map at the top is of Seoul's subway system (the arrow just happened to be in the picture that I got off the web) The Bus terminal and Apgujeong(where SM and the dorms are in my story) are on the orange line.