Chad’s P.O.V

          It was Chad Future’s third day of music school. His first week in Korea had caused him to feel quite disoriented. He only began to learn Korean a few months prior to coming, which was when he found out he was accepted into Pledis Music and Performing Arts, one of the many music schools he auditioned for. Because he had lived in Detroit, Michigan all his life, he wasn’t exactly what one would call “fluent in Korean”. He also didn’t have any family to stay with, so he had to live on his own. Luckily, Pledis MPA had dorm rooms, so he got roomed with a guy named Ren. Chad had quite the fear of solitude as he experienced much of that earlier in his life. Getting used to his new school and surroundings was also somewhat traumatizing for him. He had to learn his way around, make new friends (with the already existing language barrier), and learn how to live with a roommate.

            That morning, he woke up to a familiar voice calling his name. He looked up to see Ren standing back slightly, poking him on the shoulder then jerking back as if he were roadkill. “Is it already time for school? Man, I must have forgotten to set my alarm. Thanks bro!” Chad said to Ren who stood there in a very prissy manner. His roommate did not look amused. He merely responded with “Mmhm…” and left for class. Chad on the other hand stumbled to the closet, threw on his uniform, grabbed his backpack then bolted out the door. He didn’t have the time to fix his hair, brush his teeth, put on his deodorant, or any of the such. He was running late as it was.

He ran down the dormitory halls, straightening his tie and tucking his shirt in. Unfortunately, the other young man approaching from the opposite side wasn’t in his sight until he smacked against him. Books were flung in all directions, scattering across the hallway. “Oh man, I’m so sorry! Are you alright?” Chad exclaimed, very concerned. The two students made eye contact… it almost felt intimate.

“My forehead hurt a little but I’m feeling fine. What’s your name?” he asks in Chad’s native tongue. His eyes widen, not expecting the other to be fluent in English. Chad already felt somewhat close to this guy… like he would be someone significant to his life here at Pledis. “Chad, Chad Future. I’m new.” The blonde oaf replied, bending down to help with the other boy’s books.

“Wow, your name is so sophisticated. My name is Aron.” The black haired one states. He reached down to pick some up as well. “Nice, I’m new here. You’re English is on point, bro! Are you from America?” Chad questioned Aron. “Yep, I come from L.A. What about you?” Aron inquired. “I’m from Detroit, hahaha. Here’s your books!” Chad answered, handing them over to the individual in front of him.

“That’s neat. Welcome to Pledis. Hope to see you around!” Aron walks off. Chad realizes that he forgot to give Aron one of his notebooks. Before he can catch up to him, his new acquaintance already disappeared into a different hallway. Chad realized he had one minute to get to his class on the other side of the campus. There was no time for dillydallying. He ran out of the building, taking Aron’s notebook with him with hopes of seeing him in the near future.

            Thoughts of Aron plagued Chad’s mind throughout the school day. Would he get in trouble if he doesn’t have his notebook? Gosh I’m so dumb, how didn’t I see this? How will I find him? What if he ends up failing a class and it’s all my fault for not giving it to him?

            Aron, on the other hand, didn’t even notice that the notebook was gone until that evening. This notebook wasn’t for school. It was his diary he used to document the progress he made in music school, his goals, and tidbits of his private life.

            Chad kept an eye out for Aron all day, but he didn’t see him anywhere. He barely knew his way to his classes, let alone the whole campus, so there was no way he was going to attempt to traipse about the campus knowing there was a high chance he wouldn’t even find him. In conclusion, Chad was unable to spot Aron and he was stuck with the guilt of possessing the notebook. He got back to his dorm, which consisted of two beds and some drawers and cabinets for their belongings. Chad sat on his bed, did his homework, and then saw the insidious notebook. He opened it to see if he could figure out what class it was for so that way he might have an idea of where he could go to return it to him.

            Right then, the door opened. Chad looked up and greeted Ren. Ren was a rather cold, self-absorbed guy. Ren looked at Chad and stopped dead in his tracks. He snatched the notebook right out of Chad’s hands. “Where did you find this?” he demanded to know. “Well, I saw this guy in the hallway named Aron, and he dropped his books. I thought I gave him all of them, but I accidentally left one, so I took it with me.”

            Although this is what he thought he said, because of Chad’s difficulty speaking in Korean, you can only imagine what he really said. “You just took Aron’s notebook? Do you even know him that well? And what do you think gives you the right to look through his personal belongings?” Ren asked. “It’s not like that; I was looking so I could figure out what class he uses it for! I just wanted to return it, I swear!” Chad said in attempt to justify his actions. “You better be telling the truth, new kid. Aron is one of my best friends. I will be sure to inform Aron about your little shenanigans. Trust me, we won’t forget.”

            Ren put the notebook into his backpack and pulled out his homework. Meanwhile, Chad was stressing over the exchange he had between Ren. , what will he tell Aron that about me? Aron is one of the only people that I’ve talked to so far. I really don’t want my reputation to get rekt this early on into the year! Besides, I don’t want a repeat of what happened that time…

            A call interrupted his thoughts. He had an incoming facetime from his homie, Pete. He picked up the phone. “Hey Chad! I haven’t heard anything from you since you arrived in Korea. What’s up?” Pete asked. “I’m sorry, I’ve been busy moving into my dorm, going to school, and trying to get used to this place. I’m happy to hear from you! What’s poppin’ with you?” Chad replied. “The usual, my dude. Just wanted to see how you were doing.”

‘The usual’ usually consisted of video games, changing his little sister’s diaper, skating, bull, bull, and more bull. And by bull, that’s pretty much all there is to it. Most of the time, Chad didn’t even want to know, and Chad may be the nosiest lad to ever exist. Chad loved Pete, not in a romantic way, but as a friend. They had been friends since they were 12. They met when Pete moved into Chad’s hood in Detroit.

Who’s that honkey fool dancin’? All Pete wanted to do was eyeball his new neighborhood, but now he was stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, his eyes set on some chump with bleached hair dabbing away in the kitchen. It was only 9:00 am and Turn Down for What was already blasting all the way out of the house into the ghetto they lived in. Pete couldn’t take his eyes away from such a sight. I guess this is what they mean when they say, “It’s like watching a train wreck.”

To Pete, he looked like the type of kid that got his lunch money stolen on the daily. How relatable. He continued to watch him as he whipped and flossed, that’s when he knew, that kid was the one he would be hanging around all summer. Chad looked up. Pete dabbed at him and smiled. Chad dabbed back.

Suddenly, someone came out of the house that Pete was standing in front of. He didn’t even realize he was standing in front of a house. He looked back at his new buddy, who skittered toward his speakers, turning down the volume. “Move, !” the man from the house exclaimed as he shoved Pete over.

The man pulled a gun out of his pocket and added even more bullet holes to the house before them than there already were. Pete didn’t know what those looked like until that day; he thought the house was just in desperate need of a paint job. “How many mothaing times do I have to tell you to turn off that music? Get your out of the house, y White Chocolate! Let me teach you a lesson!” The boy walked out of the shack that he called a home. Pete began to run before he could see anymore, but the guy got a hold of his hood and pulled him back. “You’re not going anywhere either. I gotta show you and your friend what happens when you wake me up at 9:00 in the morning dabbing in front of my home to the crap you call music.

Pete shook in fear as he saw the boy walk out of the house. The man picked Pete and the other boy up by their shirts and hung them up on a fence. “Sorry man, but you’ll never be the REAL Slim Shady! Dream on.”

Chad smirked at this memory. Little does he know I might be the next Slim Shady. He continued to chat with Pete for a few then went to bed. What Chad doesn’t know is that he has a big storm coming.