Chapter 22

“You are you, I am me; We lived without knowing each other but, with a hello, you and I, became a we – Hi Hello”

“Momose-ssi?”

“Hait. I mean, neh.”

“Hello, nice to meet you. Is it ok if i speak in Hangul? You understand Korean? My English is not so good.”

“Yes, I know Hangul a little,” Momo replied in Korean.

“Good, good,” the stranger smiled at her.

He was a stocky chubby cheeked man, with a friendly smile.

“Would you like some help? Finding a book?”

“No, no,” the stranger smiled again. “My name is Choi Jinwoo. I’m here to offer you a job.”

“A job? But I already have one.”

“Yes yes, but we’d like to offer you another job. It pays three times of what you’re making here.”

“Why?”

Momo’s eyes narrowed.

“Why?”

“Yes, why would you want to do that? Give me a job at three times the pay.”

“Oh, uhhmmm, because you’re exactly what we are looking for.”

Momo’s eyes narrowed even further. Automatically backing away from the stranger.

Is this how human trafiking is done? She thought, looking around her for help if needed.

“And what will that be?”

“What will?” Choi asked, scratching his head. These foreigners sure talk in riddles, he thought.

“What you’re looking for?”

“What I’m looking for? Oh, a language instructor. You can speak Japanese as well as English and a little Korean, right?”

This man is too dodgy, despite looking pretty harmless, Momo thought again.

“Choi Jinwoo-ssi, thank you but I think I have to decline the offer,” she bowed politely and turned away.

“Wait, please wait,” the man stopped her, looking almost desperate. “Maybe I didn’t introduce myself properly. And you can call me Manager Choi.”

Manager Choi then looked around carefully, before bowing and handing her a card.

Momo accepted with a bow, and started to frown as she read the name card.

“You’re from JYPE?”

“Neh.”

Momo looked up at the man with a sudden realisation.

“Did he send you here?” Momo asked.

Automatically her thoughts went back to the incident two afternoons ago.

Young K and her could hardly say hello to each other before the Day6 entourage emerged from the back office and whisked Young K away from her.

But with the portly smiling man in front of her, it was clear that he did not forget her.

And given the position Young K was in, Momo was not surprised he had to send a representative instead of coming for her, himself.

“Yes, he did,” Manager Choi replied, knowing there was no need to beat around the bush with the girl. He has been briefed thoroughly by Young K.

“What does he want?”

“He wants you to be in a better employment.”

And within his reach, Choi added silently.

Momo went quiet, assessing the situation.

Giving Choi room to try to persuade her.

“We’re serious about the job offer. All you have to do is to teach some of our idols basic Japanese and English. KCon Japan, that’s our combined concert, is happening in 6 months time. We need our idols have at least some greeting skils. Not difficult, right?”

Momo was still silent, unable to actually think.

Work? With JYPE?

With a chance to meet him again?

For how long?

And for what purpose?

Choi took advantage of Momo’s stunned disposition, and went in for the kill.

“You’ll be given free lodging and food is provided for. Plus that salary,” he persuaded her. “So, if you are agreeable, I’ll take you with me right away.”

***

“Welcome to the dorm. This is where you’ll be staying.”

“This is an apartment,” Momo looked around from her position at the door.

“Yes, but we normally call it a dorm cause this is where….” Choi’s words trailed as he knew he was telling too much. “Come, let me show you around.”

Choi decided to keep his words to the minimum and let Momo absorb her surroundings.

“This is the living room,” he spread arms to show the room as they moved pass it.

The living room was simple. With only a three-seater sofa facing a TV consol. There was also an out of place single-sized matress by one wall with coats and shoes all neatly arranged on its either sides.

“This is the kitchen. We don’t have any study rooms here, so you can teach here, or out in the living room. I’m sorry if we have only basic amenities here.”

They went further down the hallway.

“This is the toilet and the laundry room… and this is where you’ll sleep.”

Choi opened a door at the very end of the apartment.

A compact but servisable room with a bunk bed, a clothes hanger and small table with mirror.

“None of the rooms have attached bathroom, so you’ll have to share I’m afraid.”

“Why I do I teach here, or even live here? Whose dorm is this?” She asked, earlier noting that the neatly arranged clothes and shoes, were male’s. She also noticed three other closed bedroom doors.

Before Choi could answer, the front door burst open and five strapping boisterous lads trooped in.

***

Five pair of eyes stared at her intently - three with open curiosity, one with guarded apprehension and another with exaggerated disdain.

“This is your contract, please read it carefully and sign it once you’re ok with it,” Manager Choi said. “Your main task is basically to teach Day6 Basic Japanese. Like I mentioned, they must be able to converse a little by KCon. At the same time, we need you to also help me with some coordinating tasks for the boys. Mainly to assist them with their daily schedule and stuff.”

This was not discussed before, Momo thought.

“My wife, Cordi Kim, who is their original Cordi Noona, is expecting,” Manager Choi beamed as how a father-to-be would, “and will be delivering in two months. But there are some complications, so she was told to go for a bed rest. Then, if everything ok, she’ll be on maternity leave for another three months. So, she’ll be away for about 5 months roughly.”

Without giving Momo any chance to question or the boys to in, Choi went on.

“I will take care of their overall schedule but I need some help, here and there.”

Of course all these were spoken in rapid fire Hangul.

Though she was getting used to the language, she was having problems keeping up with the conversation.

“Ano.. I mean, chosun hamnida, Manager-nim," she said in stilted Korean. "I understand my job scope, but... why am I living with the boys?"

Boys? Sungjin muttered under his breath. We are men already. Who is this girl, again? Our new Cordi Noona?

“Yeah..! Why is she living with us,” Jae demanded. Unlike polite Seungjin, brash Jae was not one to hold any questions merely in his head. “This is highly irregular, not to mention inappropriate.”

“This is temporary, until I find Momo-ssi a proper place to stay,” Choi answered smoothly, much to Young K’s amusement. It took him quite a while the past two days, to convince the Manager to get Momo for him, at long last telling someone about his Japanese muse.

“Ok, I have to head back to the office now,” Choi got up hastily, not wanting to be the of questioning from either the boys nor Momo herself. “If you have any other questions, Momo-ssi, you can ask the boys. Boys, please introduce yourself properly to our guest.”

And with that Manager Choi was out the door.

Leaving her facing the remaining five curious boys in front of her.

She tried to smile but was almost sure ot came out as a grimace instead.

“Anyeong.”

“Anyeong,” the boys replied in unison.

And as if she needed any further introduction, Dowoon grinned and leaned towards her.

“Uhhh… hi! Welcome to Day6!”

Foxi's Notes

On Day6 in Jakarta 2017

Yes, Chingus, I went to see them in action & made it out alive (lols). No words can describe my feelings. My only contention was that it was too short (cries). I want to hear all their songs if possible and can't wait for them to have full fledge concerts :D And as always, they ate CDs for breakfast, lunch & dinner & sounded awesome! (Eating CDs means the performers are as good live as they do in their studio recording).

Highlight of the show for me has got to be Young K's rendition of an Indo hit Separuh Aku (Half of Me) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xL7mlxGNTw) & of course I Smile (where My Days went on full force with the fan chant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6cv-iM9Nuo) Please excuse my excited shaky hands & blurry smart phone images - lols.

I also went on stage for the Hi Touch session. As expected my Bri Bri is perfection on earth but what surprised me was how good looking Seungjin was in person (swoon) & how tall they all were. Check out the Hi Touch video I manged to capture before it was our turn to go - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dttrVKI_zJI

On this chapter - 

I have no idea what Day6's manager's name is and whether he's single or married. So Manager Choi & Cordi Kim are my own creations. And for those who wanna see, click here to see a sneak peak of the boys' actual dorm -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZugaZLIs680 You can actually see Dowoon's matress at the side of the living room (lols) & how the sofa belongs to Jae alone. 

All videos are mine except for the Day6 Dorm Tour. Please do not repost without prior permission. Tx.