Ughhh… why do I pack so much in these boxes?? Do I really need that other stuff? I have half out…. no I do… I need clothes and books.

Rethinking the clutter in your life you close the door to your new apartment and head back down to get another load from your car. You were on the fourth floor so the elevator right now was a must. Waiting for the elevator, you thought about this change in scenery. 

You moved to Seoul for a job, which shouldn’t last more than a year… but you really want to make it permanent, a few bad breakups and all back in America… and England… and maybe a few other places.

You were just lucky your job, allowed you to move around and even called for it sometimes. The ding of the elevator brought you out of your thoughts and you got back to the work at hand.

A few more trips back and forth, along with cursing your stuff, you were almost done. You were sure your T-shirt was showing sweat marks, and you tore the cuff of your favorite jeans.

We’ll just add them to the group of clothes that need to be sewed… which would be all my clothes… 

You take a note to find someone who can sew… or go shopping, as you go down to get the most important cases from your car. Your equipment, computer was already in the apartment, but these two black cases held the travel sound boards that you made your money and life style off of.

Lugging the cumbersome cases out as carefully as you could and getting it on the sidewalk, you bumped into a group of people.

“Oh, sorry!” You say in Korean and bow a little. Silently happy that you actually took that class so you at least didn’t sound like a complete foreign tourist.

Looking up, you see that there was six men… all good looking. You knew that South Korea had attractive men, but do they have to walk around in packs?

Wait I know these guys… I think… They look familiar… Shrugging you go back to lifting the cases over the curb.

“Oh here let me get that!” One of the exclaims as he takes the cases from you and setting them on the sidewalk. He had bright blonde hair hidden under a snapback. 

“Thank you… thats very kind of you.” Self conscious of how you look now, you brush your light brown, almost blonde, hair over one shoulder to hopefully cover some stains. You just forgot about your birthmark.

His eyes go directly to your exposed neck and arm, looking at the Lichtenberg figure your birthmark made. You smile at his face as he tries to come up with what to say. Someone else in the group speaks first though,

“Hyung, come on, we nee- Wow! Look at that scar!” A boy with strawberry blonde hair calls out to the rest of the group that was waiting ahead to come over to look.

“You idiot! How could you be so rude?” Someone else said, you didn’t catch who. You only laugh at the situation, making them all stop.

“Its not a scar, its a birthmark.” You smile at the group, “Its fine.” The whole group lets out sigh, except one. “I’m Maria. Its nice to meet you and,” to the bright blonde hair guy, “thank you for you help.” You slightly bow your head.

“Oh, its was not trouble! And I’m Kim Won Shik… but you can call me Ravi if you want.” He scratches the back of his head as he introduced himself, He’s kinda cute… to bad he isn’t my type…. if I had a type. “Did you just move in?”

For some reason the rest of the group groans at you two, confusing you. He just waves them away, only two walked away, the rest come closer to talk with you like Ravi.

“Ummm, yes I did. Is it that obvious?” You smile a little as you close and lock your car.

“No… well yes,” A red hair boy says, “There aren’t many… foreigners in this neighborhood so you kinda stand out.” He pauses for a moment, “I’m Cha Hak-Yeon, or N. Please forgive this pabo for being so rude to not introduce everyone. This is Ken,” pointing to the strawberry blonde boy, “and this is Hongbin.” Gesturing to a brown hair boy next to Ravi.

“Do they have second names too?” 

“Ken does, but it would be easier to know us like how most people do.” Hongbin says.

“Ahhh… well thank you for that. I hope that we can get to know each other enough to know everyone’s two names… without getting confused.” You grin at the group.

“Oh do you need help getting these up?” Hongbin asks, looking at the two cases that you almost forgot about.

Not needing to thinking about it for a moment, “No, thank you but no. I can roll them myself, I don’t want to take away your time anymore than I have already.” You slowly start to inch away from the group.

N, you thought, got the hint and started to usher the other three to move on. “Well… I hope we get to see you again, Maria.”

You nod and roll the black cases into the lobby. As you wait for the elevator, which apparently only one of the two were working, you thought about the boys you met. You were sure that you saw them before… Their interesting /weird/ names sounded familiar.

You thought about them all the way to your door. At the sight of your apartment in disarray. This two room apartment was perfect, you just didn’t want to unpack. You just sit against the door and stare at all of the boxes. 

In reality you actually didn’t have that much to even fill the apartment. You could have moved into a one room apartment and could have been comfortable. You were just being lazy after your trip.

That day, or night by your biological clock, you only unwrapped your couch and set up your sound boards and speakers in the master bedroom. You will be spending most of your time there anyway so it made sense to have your work space there. Other than those, you just organized the boxes into the correct areas, by your standards, and passed out on the couch.

 

The next day you had to yourself, your meeting was the next day, so you got to unpack a little and get some food, getting settled really.

It wasn’t a good morning.

The hot water wasn’t so you got a frozen shower, you couldn’t find your bras, and to top it off, your I-pod died. Nevertheless you pushed on and unpacked the majority of your junk. It was around two in the afternoon when you were done with the kitchen, your “master” studio, the bathroom and the living room which you usually used as your bedroom.

After hearing your stomach rumble for the nth time, you grab your purse, flats and newly charged I-pod to search for food.

It was a nice day out. Not too cloudy with a breeze every now and then. Grabbing a form of an egg sandwich and orange juice, you sit in the park a few blocks away form your new home. With the nice weather, the park was teaming with couples to children and their parents, even those few jogging along the path.

This was your favorite activity, pass time or what ever you wanted to call it. People watching. Letting your vast music library on shuffle and watch how the people around you interacted, finding little patterns between the music and the flow of the view.

You spaced out for a while, thinking about new music you can remix or originate, until you see three familiar bodies hop out of a van and enter the park. The sky was on fire as the sun set, and if you weren’t people watching you wouldn’t have caught the familiarity so soon.

If you remember correctly, it was Keith.. no Ken, remember Barbie’s boy-toy, and Hong- something… The third you weren’t introduced to, but he seemed more reserved and aloof than the other two, kind of like a more approachable Mr. Darcy.

But thats just observation… He didn’t introduce himself yesterday so you don’t really know him.

Finally checking your watch you realize that you should go get groceries and head home. You take one last look at the boys, one of them might have noticed you, but you just keep walking away.

After two hours of trying to figure out what is what in the market and then putting everything away in your kitchen, you head to your music room. Checking your email and other messaging sites you saw that your boss emailed you as well as other artist, looking for your opinion or help on some work their writing.

One email stood out. It was from your twin brother. He just wanted to call you, which you decided to put off till later… this week. You two had a fight the last time you met and it was hard enough to avoid him when he is usually your partner/coworker on some of your projects.

You move to another screen and started to play around with some beats and sounds, you weren’t so much as making music just experimenting what comes up, writing down notes, and even once moving a bar and line to an existing song.

 

The next thing you know your phone alarm is ringing. Turning your head you see your desk and your equipment. Sudden realization makes your bolt out of your chair, only to fall to the ground with your legs still asleep.

! Owowowowowow! Wake up stupid legs!!!! We’re gonna be late!!!

You stand again feeling the tingles of needles all over your legs making you squirm with each movement.

At some point during your freezing shower, your legs finally wake up and you are able to move faster without the threat of falling.

You quickly get your black jeans on and a navy, V-neck T-shirt. Neither had noticeable holes in them, you hoped. Deciding to be somewhat fancy you slide on yellow flats. With some foundation and mascara, you tie a messy bun with your curling hair.

Then the important part you pack up your padded backpack with your laptop, and some other equipment you will need for the demonstration for the chairman, president and other members of… Jellyfish Entertainment. Interesting names here…

You make some tea and grab a snack, eating out the door. A white van and a man wearing a polo surprised you when you exited the building.

“Are you… Venus? Of Olympic Music Global?” The man used your work name that only Jellyfish knew here.

“Yes… are you from Jellyfish?” I ask approaching him.

He nods and opens the door. “The chairman wanted to give you a ride to the company.”

“Thank you.” You hop into the bucket seat and hold your backpack on your lap.

The ride was short, you lived shockingly close. Just over a bridge and a few more blocks and boom! you’re there. You hop out and thank the man, head inside through the front and get the directions to the right meeting room.

You walked in and took a seat to the right of the head of the table, if the wanted you to move then you would. As soon as you sat down, the door opened.

“Oh, Venus! You are Venus right?” A man in a suit, no tie, walks in as you stand up. He spoke amazing English.

“Yes, I am. You can call me Maria is you would like.” You smile and shake his hand, then sitting back down.

“Great! I’m the President of Jellyfish, nice to meet you. Do you speak Korean? I’m only asking because the group I wanted to introduce you to doesn’t speak English very well.” He sits at the head of the table.

“I do, but not so well. I haven’t had experience outside of classroom and few phone calls.” You reply in Korean.

“That will be alright. If not there is alway an app for it.” He laughs as two more people walk in.

They introduced themselves as other board members and talked with you about the music that you produced, and small talk about styles and music history. You knew that these two must be apprehensive about bring in outside help.

You showed them up, every question and trick question you answered with more than enough fact support mixed with personal opinion.

They were about to start to argue about the Beatles, when they were wrong, , you can Google the fifth member of the Beatles, when the President stopped them.

He brought up the group that you were going to met and hopefully you two can hash out a deal to help with a few promotions and special concerts, VIXX. There were six members and very talented, he also gave you more detail about the style and history of the group which you already knew. You just smiled and acted like this was mostly new information.

He checked the time, they were 30 minutes late. He apologized for the fourth time for their tardiness and started to call their manager when there was some knocks on the door. 

“Come in! You’re late… Aish you boys making the lovely Venus wait!”

All you can say is that you knew that they look familiar.

To be continued…