Hanbyul exited the docking area of the rowboat. He had just been exported from Australia to the Republic of Korea. This was his chance. This was his only chance to prove to his over-demanding parents that he was pop star material and that his hands did not belong in the filthy mouths of plebs. Hanbyul could do this. He believed in himself and his only one dimple.

With his scarily full purse, he left the bay area and sat near the bus stop. Australian dollars would be worth nothing in this country, but in his current predicament, he would have to do.

“Excuse me, miss! But could you spare some change.” Hanbyul towered over the petite frame of the person he approached.

“Are you so sure about the ‘Miss’ part?” a manly voice from down under spat on Hanbyul’s chin. The voice belonged to a freakishly tiny man with an ambiguous dress sense. “Oh! I apologize, but anyway, do you have any change to spare?” Hanbyul brushed off his use of incorrect pronouns and persisted with earning money for the bus.

“Why would you need my money? You look like a well-off kid—” The shorter man crossed his arms over his chest and opened his mouth to say more, but a voice in the distance silenced him.

“Kevin!” another man who happened to be even more vertically challenged ran up to the person now known as ‘Kevin’, “We need you on the set of Afterschool Club!”

Kevin’s shoulders rose in surprise. He turned to look back on the person who called on him, “In your dreams, Nam!” He gave the birdie to the soon approaching man and turned to run away.

Our protagonist watched the scene in front of him. Kevin was gone, but he was replaced with an out-of-breath man with oversized glasses slipping down his sweaty bridge. He waited for the person to catch his breath before he spoke.

“Excuse me, sir! But do you have any change to spare?” Hanbyul flashed a toothy smile. Nam wiped sweat off of his brow, “Y-you *wheeze* speak *gasp* English?!” he used his moist hands to grab Hanbyul’s  arms.

“Yeah, doesn’t everybody?” For being a perfect student, Hanbyul was not very smart.

 “You need money! I can get you money!” Nam pulled out his cellular and kept one firm grip on confused Hanbyul’s arm. He pressed a button and shouted into the device, “Guys! We can go on with the show! I found a replacement!” with a satisfied sigh, Nam hung up.

“I’m Eric Nam by the way.”

And that is how Hanbyul appeared as a co-host on Afterschool Club.

thank you for reading

i'll try to update my other fics before my life becomes too busy again