S I X

Ruined Dignity

Idol group members have individual fansites. The more popular they get, the more their fansites increase. Each member has various fansites, but they each have a top fansite which is more acknowledged by the idols’ companies and the idols themselves. These big fansites compete with other growing fansites in order to maintain their status by doing more projects and events.

Rather than a single individual, fansites are comprised of a bunch of people. There’s the president, secretary, organizer, accountant, marketing and research specialists, professional graphic and video editors, website administrators, human resource personnel, and of course, the fansite’s photographer.

Although all members of the fansites’ staff are important, the photographers are considered to be the core, aside from the presidents. Fansites aim to capture the best photos and videos of idols and in order to do so, they need a good photographer.

Top fansite presidents are constantly in contact with the representatives of idol companies in order to be updated with the idols’ schedules. The idols are also required to meet the fansite presidents and photographers in order for them to know which camera to look at during events and airport departures/arrivals.

“Wow…everything sounds so complicated and ridiculous.”

It’s been a week since I began my fansite research, and I’ve acquired a lot of information. At first, I tried to search through Google (‘cause Google is my bestfriend when it comes to research) but I wasn’t able to find anything. Damn, I trusted you, Google!

So I tried asking Hyomin about it ‘cause she’s lived here all her life so she probably knows a thing or two. However…

“Oh…fansites, huh? Well…oh! That looks good on you, Mrs. Kim! Absolutely fabulous! All idols have fansites and—oh, yes! You look ten years younger! My, my, how lovely! Just search for it online, Jiyeon—that color is gorgeous, Mrs. Kim! Should I recommend another one? Oh, silly! It doesn’t make you look fat at all! Hahaha! Goodness, not Google, Jiyeon! Try Naver—oh, that one really suits you! Or try daum cafes of idols. It should be there—ah, you’re gonna take it?”

And then she hung up. My cousin is such a good and helpful person, isn’t she?

Anyway, despite the messy response she gave me, at least she was able to help me discover Naver and Daum. Despite my ignorance regarding everything related to idols, I was still able to successfully register in an idol group’s fancafe and enter the forums where I found the answers I needed. That’s right. I registered in INFINITE’s fancafe with the username death_note. Of course, I wasn’t thinking of anyone in particular when I wrote that name. Hahaha…it just came out of nowhere, you know? Okay.

“WAHAHAHA! That was so funny, hyung!”

“Oh, shut up, Lee Sungyeol.”

“But you tripped! In broad daylight! Hahaha! Maybe you weren’t able to see that big rock due to your small eyes!”

“Someone shut that guy up before I kill him.”

“I’ll do it. This guy laughed at me the other day for choking on a banana!”

“But it was so funny, Woohyun-hyung!”

Oh, God. Those loud voices. They’re back.

You see, on that uneventful day with Myungsoo and the , Lee Sungyeol, I was surprised when the whole apartment floor was quiet when I got home from my job hunting. My neighbors were gone for a whole week, and since I was already a member of their fancafe, I found out that they had a schedule in Japan.

I was able to enjoy a quiet and peaceful life for a while, but I guess that ends today.

“Ah, yes. Goodbye, serenity. My loud neighbors are back, and based on how it’s getting dark and gloomy outside even though it’s still four in the afternoon, I bet there’ll be a storm tonight. Oh, the wind is blowing strongly now. Oh, look, that’s my hello kitty underwear being blown away by the wind and—OH MY GOD! MY UNDERWEAR IS BEING BLOWN AWAY BY THE WIND!”

I immediately rushed towards the balcony where I hang my newly-washed clothes and pushed the racks inside. It was quite a struggle ‘cause some clothes were being carried away so I had to jump around frantically in order to catch them.

Thankfully, I was able to save them all, except for my beloved hello kitty which got blown away earlier. Aish, that one was a limited edition!

“Is this yours?”

With my head still floating in the clouds, I tilted my head to the side and what do you know, Myungsoo is standing in the balcony next to mine, holding up…my hello kitty….………..

ASDFGHJKL!@#$%^&*(!!!!!!!

“HUWOHAAAAAASHAAAAWOOOHAAAA!” Whatever that scream was, I’ll never know. Whatever my expression was while screaming that out, I’ll never know, either. I don’t think I want to know.

“THAT!”

“This?” Myungsoo asked as he pointed at my , which he continued to hold up with one finger. “Is this yours?”

“NO! HAHAHAHA! How could I own such a thing?!” Wow, I guess the only way not to embarrass myself is by quickly disowning that friggin’ piece of fabric. Or perhaps, I could just jump down from my balcony and disappear forever!

“But…I saw it fly away from your balcony—“

“Nevermind! I’ll go get it! Stay right there!”

Without thinking of anything further, I just dashed out of my apartment and knocked viciously in front of Infinite’s door. As soon as someone opened the door (I didn’t even have time to look at whoever opened it), I just stomped my way inside and headed straight for the balcony where Myungsoo was standing with my still in hand.

“I know I’m a disgrace and holding that thing probably makes you feel disgusted but some circumstances just cannot be avoided and it just so happened that my underwear got blown away ferociously by the wind while you were peacefully standing here in your balcony but please do understand that can happen sometimes so just give me my underwear back and forgive me for this shameful event and never speak of this again…okay?”

I didn’t even try to catch my breath after that long- sentence. I just looked