Mei/Myung Soo’s POV

You know how dreams are usually unpleasant? How the scenes and the people are always distorted and half the time you don’t  even know what’s going on? And then you wak e up confused, desperately trying to re-enter the real world? Well, the night Lu Han read me his journal was the one night in my life that my dream was different. In my dream, I wasn’t scared or uncomfortable. I was experiencing eternal happiness. Blissful.

For the first time, I had a glorious dream and woke up to an even more glorious world.

When I woke up, I was still comfortably wrapped in Lu Han’s arms. I looked up at his baby face with silky smooth skin. He was still asleep and seemed to be having a good dream too. I cautiously reached up to feel his soft brown hair, trying not to wake him up.

I was about to go back to sleep, when Kai came in and startled me.

“Not in that kind of relationship, huh?” I look up and see Kai standing with his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

“Ya, Kai don’t go off assuming things” I say.

Lu Han starts to wake up. “Mei?Kai?” He asks still looking half asleep.

“Ya, I just came in because you two are going to make us late for filming!” Kai says pointing to the clock.

“Omo!” I shout when I see that we only have 10 minutes to get ready.

…

When we got to the filming site to film our second teaser, the manager told us that Mr. Lee Soo Man was going to come observe us today.

“Whao! I’m going to be so nervous.” Kai says, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Se Hun had his hand over his heart and his eyes closed.

Lu Han took a deep breath.

“Would Soo Man punish us if he saw us mess up badly?” I ask, starting to get a little scared.

“I don’t know, but there are rumors that he has removed group members” Se Hun says.

“Nah, I don’t think Soo Man would do that. The fans will explode.” Lu Han says. “It’s just that we have to show our best when he’s here.”

“It feels like the first debut stage all over again” Kai says.

“Ya, it’s worse than that” Se Hun says. “At least the fans love us enough to support us through our mistakes. Soo Man is picky. Really picky. He sees everything, and I mean EVERYTHING” Se Hun’s eyes widen.

Just then, Lee Soo Man walks in with a group of guys dressed in suits. Lu Han, Se Hun, Kai, and I quickly run into our lined up positions. We bow 90 degrees and greet Soo Man and his posse.

They sit up front and watch very closely as we film the entire teaser from the beginning. Soo Man was very impressed with Kai’s improved dance moves. He seemed to pay more attention to Kai than Se Hun, Lu Han, or me. Se Hun and Lu Han were both dancing very well, perfectly, despite their nerves. I, on the other hand, was really starting to shake. My legs almost felt like marshmallows and I almost messed up one of the dance moves. Good thing the teaser was short.

When we finished, Lee Soo Man started to clap.

“Good, good! That was very nice.” Soo Man says nodding his head. “I see I was right about the talent of this group”

Se Hun, Lu Han, Kai, and I bow and thank Soo Man for his complements.  

Lee Soo Man walks over to me, still smiling. He starts to examine me from head to toe. I stand there, frozen, wondering what he’s going to say.

“Myung Soo? Right? New Member?” Soo Man asks still looking at me closely.

“Ah…ne” I nod.

“Who decided that Exo’s 13^thmember could be a girl?” Lee Soo Man asks. Suprising everyone in the room.

Se Hun’s mouth drops open. Kai’s eyes widen with fear. Lu Han bites his lip and clenches his fist.

Exo’s manager comes over. “Ah, Mr. Lee Soo Man, Myung Soo is not a girl.” The manager tries to explain, but his voice is a little shaky.

“Not a girl? How dare you lie to me?” Soo Man starts to get angry.

“It is not a lie. Myung Soo is a boy.” Manager continues to say.

“Then you are saying it’s fine if we have a shirtless photo shoot this afternoon?” Soo Man says, raising both of his eyebrows.

“Ye-” The manager starts to say before being interrupted by Lu Han, Se Hun, and Kai at the same time.

“Wait!” The 3 shout in unison.

“We can explain, Mr. Lee Soo Man” Lu Han says.

…

Back in the office room of the SM building, Se Hun, Lu Han, Kai, and I are chatting with Soo Man. We tell him everything. My visa problems, my training to be an idol, and even the relationship between Lu Han and me. I apologize for lying and plead for him to not turn me in. Soo Man, despite his strictness, surprises us all once again.

“I will make you a deal” Soo Man begins to say. “You continue to be Myung Soo until Exo’s combined promotions finish, and then you shall be in SM’s new girl group.”

“But Mr. Lee, my dream is not to be an idol” I began to say.

“Well, if you’re not going to be an idol, then I have no choice but to send you back to America” Soo Man threatens.

“No wait, Mr. Lee, she’ll do it.” Kai says for me.

“Yes, Mei is very talented.” Se Hun adds.

“Good” Soo Man says. “That is all. You may leave now. Go to the other office and sign the contract.” Soo Man waves his arms to signal us to exit.