JULY 14

Author's POV

“Please welcome, Shin….Minhee!”

Ji Ae’s eyes widened and she could hear the EXO-K boys gasped. But how…, she thought. She didn’t understand. It was said that only people who auditioned and was picked get to compete. It’s unfair.

“What the…,”

“S-Shin..,”

“Shin Minhee?!”

“Thank you, Woohyun oppa! Hello everybody, I’m Shin Minhee. I bet you guys will enjoy my performance. EXO-K oppa, Sehun oppa and Park Ji Ae, enjoy my performance,” she winked and smirked making EXO-K almost puked. She was wearing awfully short jeans, a red top that exposed her tummy and a denim jacket.

“I can’t believe this..,” I mumbled. I looked around and saw Miss Tiffany who just got back from God knows where. I got up from my seat and held the Korean-american teacher’s wrist. She was shocked at first but her eyes softened as she saw that I was the one who stopped her.

“Ji Ae?” she gave me a small smile.

“Fany unni- I mean, Miss Tiffany. H-how and why is Shin Minhee participating? I don’t get it. Aren’t the contestants who were picked during the audition are the only ones who can compete?”

“Yes. It’s unfair isn’t it?”

“It’s really unfair! But how did she…,”

“It was an order from her father, and you do know that the Shin family owns 30% of the school, right? So, we couldn’t argue with it,” Oh yeah, she thought. The family who pays on everything for the school kind of like owns this school a bit. For the Park family, that is Ji Ae’s family, they own 50% of the school. The Shins 30% and the other 20% are owned by other rich families. Such as the Byun family, the Kim family, the Do family, the other Kim family and the Oh family.

“That’s not right,” Miss Tiffany then held both of Ji Ae’s hands. Ji Ae looked up and Miss Tiffany shot her a genuine smile.

“Ji Ae, listen to me. Just forget about her and do your best. Got it?”

“Got it,” the said girl smiled at the older. She bowed politely before going back to her seat.

“where have you been?” Sehun asked.

“Oh, nothing. I just went to talk with Miss Tiffany for you know, some advice,”

“Advice?”

“Yeah. Miss Tiffany is really good at singing you know?” Sehun was about to reply her but stopped when Shin Minhee started to talk.

“So, today I will be singing two songs but the second song I’ll sing on the final round so yeah. As you all know, I’m beautiful in many ways. My face, my hair, my legs, my body. People say that I have a beautiful body like 4minutes Hyuna so-,”

“Just say the damn song title and start singing, woman!” Kai shouted irritatedly. Minhee scoffed and the people in the theatre all laughed. Guess Kai was getting bored with her endless rant.

“I will be singing Hyuna’s song entitled Bubble Pop so, enjoy!” She winked again. The song opening then started. People thought that she would sing really great since she was oh-so confident, but we were wrong.

“Cheombuteo ttokgatji nal bakkuryeo haji maanimyeon charari dareun saram manna
(Ou, OuOuOuOu neo) tudeoldaeji ma
(Ou, OuOuOuOu neo)

Bamneutge nagaseo nolmyeon jom eottae
Eojjeoda jeonhwa an badeumyeon eottae
(Ou, OuOuOuOu Hey)
Wae jakku geurae neo
Nareul mot mitni

(Oou Boy)
Neoege nal matchujin ma (Hey Boy)
Naege deo baraji ma (My Boy)
Geopumcheoreom geojit mameul
Bubble, Bubble, Bubble Pop!
Bubble, Bubble Pop! Pop! (Oou Boy)
Inneun geudaero saenggakhae bwa (Hey Boy)
Boineun daero nal barabwajwo (My Boy)
Geopumcheoreom geojit mameul
Bubble, Bubble, Bubble Pop!
Bubble, Bubble Pop! Pop!,”

“Oh my God, please save me and my ears,” D.O prayed as he covered his ears. Shin Minhee was singing out of tune and she was dancing like a robot. We all covered our ears as she tried to hit the high-note but cracked her voice instead.

“She sounds like a whale!” Baekhyun groaned.

“Correction, she sounds like a dying cat who just got run over by a car,” Kai stated.

“I should get going to the backstage. Wanna come?” she asked the boys and they all nodded. After a few seconds of ear torture, Minhee finally finished singing and people boo-ed her. She got annoyed and stomped off to the backstage.

“Bubble bubble bubble pop! Bubble bubble pop pop!” Baekhyun and Kai imitated Minhee. The said girl got pissed and walked away.

“Settle down everybody,” MC Woohyun said as he was trying to not laugh.

“Now, for the last performance. Let us all welcome the school’s innocent looking girl, the one and only, Park Ji Ae!” Ji Ae took a last deep breath before walking on the stage to the center. She held her pink guitar tight and smiled back at MC Woohyun.

“Good luck, Ji Ae,” he said to her before going to the backstage. The said girl held the white microphone tight and put it infront of her lips. She was feeling really nervous but she took a deep breathe again before clearing .

“Hello, everyone. My name is Park Ji Ae. I’m actually feeling a bit nervous here but I’ll try my best to make a great performance. So, I hope you all will enjoy yourselves,” she smiled at the crowd.

“I’m going to sing one of my favourite song sang by Juniel. The title is, Illa Illa,” people clapped as Ji Ae positioned her guitar. She started to strum and then sang.

(Juniel_Illa Illa - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1nHLrXuzmE )

“Ttaseuha-ge buneun hyanggiroun baram nae du bo-re seuchimyeon nan,

(When the warm and scented wind passes by my cheeks)

sarang-haet-deon geudae eol-ku-ri tteooreujyo,

(I think of your face that I used to love)

Oh~ gil-kae sumeoseon ireumdo moreuneun deul–ggoti pil ttaecheumen,

(Oh, when the wild, unknown flowers bloom hidden on the streets)

giyeok jeo pyeone kamchwo dun geudae-ga tteooreujyo,

(I think of you, whom I hide away in my memories)

My baby illa illa illa, baby illa illa illa, baby illa illa illa
Never forget love,

Cheotsarangeun areumdawoseo cheotsarangeun –ggotiramnida bomi omyeon hwahlchag pineun,

(Because first love is beautiful, a first love is a flower)

 o~ nuni bushin –ggotcheoreom,

(Blooming widely when spring comes – dazzling like a flower)
Cheotsarangeun eorinaecheoreom cheotsarangeun seotureumnida,

(Like a young child, a first love is inexperienced)

Sarangeul akgimeobshi ju-go kajjil mothanikka,

(Because you can’t unconditionally give and take love)

Illa illa illa, illa illa illa, illa illa illa,

Naui sarang good-bye~

(My love, good-bye)”

Everyone who was watching her sing was touched. Ji Ae doesn’t just have a beautiful voice and appearance, but she was really into the song when she was singing it. It was as if she was singing her own song and EXO-K knew who she was thinking at this time.

Luhan.

The boy who stole her innocent heart.

Luhan.

Someone who she misses so badly.

Luhan.

Her first love.

They knew that Ji Ae was still not over the fact that her first love had died. That she still blames herself as the cause to his death. Sehun didn’t know why but he felt sad and jealous? At the same time. What’s wrong with me? He thought. His heart ached knowing the fact that Ji Ae is singing this song for Luhan. Her first love.

“Cheotsarangeun eorinaecheoreom cheotsarangeun seotureumnida,

(Like a young child, a first love is inexperienced)

 Sarangeul akgimeobshi ju-go kajjil mothanikka,

(Because you can’t unconditionally give and take love)

Keuddaen eoryeoseo keuddaen mollat-jyo o~

(I was young back then, I didn’t know any better)

ijen al keot gateunde

(Now I think I will know)
Nan geudael keurimyeo bu-lleobojyo

(I call out to you as I draw you out)

 illa illa illa illa, illa illa illa

Illa illa illa illa,

never forget love~

Cheotsarangeun apeun geol bomyeon cheotsarangeun yeolbyeon-gimnida

(Seeing as a first love is painful, a first love is like a fever)

jeongshin eobshi arhko namyeon o~ eoreuni dwehnikkayo

(Because after you are mindlessly sick, you become an adult)
Cheotsarangeun andwehnikkayo cheotsarangeun miryeonimnida

(Because a first love can never be, a first love is lingering attachment)

neomuna manhi sarang-haeseo kajjil mothanikka

(Because you can’t have it since you loved too much)

Illa illa illa, illa illa illa, illa illa illa,

naui sarang good-bye

(My love, good-bye)
Illa illa illa, illa illa illa, illa illa illa,

naui sarang good-bye~

(My love, good-bye),"

Goodbye, Luhan~

* This is Ji Ae's thoughts.