Having something so nice happening to me was... well unespected. By then I was getting used to living harships.

After meeting with Suga and Rap Monster, I left the little cafe as soon as I could. I was excited to my bones, I actually had never felt that way. Somehow like... flying through the streets without touching the asphalt. What a great feeling. When we parted, Rap Mon made me promise to meet them in the morning with some of my stuff, they were taking me to their producer. 

It was true. It was happening... to me. And then again, I saw everything I had to go through to get there. Three years ago, I was graduating from college back in my country. I was happy, but I realized I wanted to do something else with my life than staying in a 8 to 5 pace job. And so, I decided to travel the world with what I had. I took my guitar, a backpack big enough to fit some jeans and t-shirts, my coverse and started touring around.

The first year I traveled most of America, from South up. It was an amazing experience, but whe I got to San Francisco, just the sea stoped me from going to where I really wanted: Asia.

Since I was very young, I've been very interested in asian culture. At first it was all about Japan. I think... I watched enough anime to cover a life time. I read mangas, I watched movies, and I even bought japanese clothing. I developed a strong visual cuture leading me to study design as my mayor. One thing lead to the other, and when I was about to end university, I discovered South Korea's entreteinment industry.

Well, there's no much to say about it. I was amazed by it, the visual was way too interesting to ignore, too perfect for me. And so I decided to cross the ocean and see what I had been dreaming of. I spent three months traveling around Japan, and then I decided to go to Korea. After that, well... it's kind of obvious. I stayed here in Seoul.

Seoul is... heaven on earth, at least for me. My mom was freaked out when I told her I wanted to live in Korea, she was sure that sometime soon Noth Korea would start a war and I would be blown by an atomic bomb. I have never been afraid of that, less being here. It was just a normal capital, people coming and going their own way. But how to explain it? I felt more alive here than anywhere I had been, and for a designer, that kind of inspiration is as important as breathing.

As a designer, I am a sensitive person; I see people, I see live through the eyes of a creative person. I love to understand what people want, what they need. And all I see here is that exactly: people dreaming and working for it. Talented people, hard working people, and the perfect environment for them to grow. It's not that I'm idolizing here... it just the way I feel. Some others can see IT in other places, for me is right here. Leaving this place... well I couldn't imagine how I would live without all of this around me.

After the usual walk from the train station, I got home. I had lots of homework to do and so, I sat directly in front of my computer. I had to study Bangtan's style from when they debuted till now.  Researching was quite easy: I watched their music videos, some commercials and lots of photographs. It took me a while, but all the information was online. I built a profile of the seven and unify the concept. I had already some prototypes going and I decided to modifying some clothes that were in my closet. I realized that their style was really matching to what I was doing right now.

"So that's what they contacted me"- I say to myself. I wasn't expecting an answear, but then a voice made me jump out of my chair.

"Who contacted you?"- Daniel was sitting across the living room looking at me while eating a bowl of cereal.

"DAMN Daniel!"- I yell- "How long have you been here?"

"Since the very start, so... about three hours?"- he said- "It was fun to watch you do what you are doing. You came in like posessed... and started doing your crazy designer stuff... I didn't want to disrupt your inspiration"

"Dani, you almost kill me! Next time just keep... shut"- He was one of my roomies. Dan is an english 21 year old, younger brother to me. We met a year ago, when he came to Korea and we clicked right from the start in a bar in Gangnam. We think alike, so it wasn't difficult to grow fond of him. He is a graphic designer, recently hired as editor in an well known music magazine. The magazine had offered him a little apartment downtown, but he decided to stay in the workshop. Of course, after the evictment notice, he was making some changes and looking for them to get him the apartment.

"Something good happened?"- he asked. I was trying to catch my breath again.

"Well... kind of..."- I try not to make a big deal about it but my smile tells on me.

"Tell me!"- he ran from across the room and sat in my bed. 

"Oh... let me connect with the other two"- I say taking my phone out. I really didn't want to keep telling the same story over and over, so I wanted to do a video conference with my closest friends: Takuya and Eunji and of course Daniel who was already there with me. They were the people that kept pushing me forward throught those disastrous years. As soon as they heared the news, all of them started sceaming and they made me promise not to leave the studio, the other two were coming.

"Are you serious?"- Daniel was as amazed as I was- "Are you kidding me?"

"No"- I say while packing some of the clothes I've been working on. I had selected a full set of seven outfits I thought matched them well. I was almost over- "I was as surprised as you are"

"Ssal... this is the opportunity of your life"- he reminded the obvious- "please don't... it up"

"What do you mean? How can I ever up this?"- I really didn't know how could I ruined this.

"Don't fall for them"

In that moment Eunji, my other room mate opened the door slaming it to the wall.

"Is it true?!"- she ran to me and gave me the tighest hug I had ever experienced- "Damn you. So you are staying? And with such a job?"

"I don't know yet. I have to pass throught the producer and... well work the contract, if I can have one. I have no idea what they really want me to do. Tomorrow I'll meet them again and see what happens from there"- I say trying to keep packing for tomorrows presentation- "But things have definetly changed"- Eunji was from Busan, she was a really good violinist and she played for some underground tracks. She was fine with the evicment notice, her savings kept her on float and of course, being korean was a huge advantage, her mother just send some money for the new deposit.

"Takuya said he'll be taking us to dinner"- she said. Takuya, my japanese friend, was a... rich bastard. He came from Japan with the idea of making money and he had made it big. He was a chef. Of course, he started as one of us, nothing more than a few bucks in the pocket, but now he could buy a whole building- "He wants to celebrate before hand"

"I can't drink tonight, tomorrow I'll have the most important interview of my life"- I was starting to get nervous again. The adrenaline had run out and now I was getting the idea that, by this hour tomorrow, I'll have my dreamed job or nothing at all- "I should really sit down and analize this throughtfully..."- My hands started to tremble with the leather jacket on them. It was really my last opportunity.

"Ssal..."- Daniel stopped me and made me look at him- "You are good at what you do, this is quite enough"

"Dan..."

"Just trust your instintcs in this"- he helped me with the rest of the clothes. I packed them carefully and prayed a little to the skies. It was past 10 already when Takuya bursted in the house.

______________________________

I couldn't sleep much that night, it was simply impossible. Adrenaline rushed all over my bloodsteam, my whole body kept shaking for hours. I can't say if it was fear or excitment, but I couldn't think on anything else, it was a bit of a feverish feeling. The whole day must as well be a dream and I didn't want to get up from it.

My hyperactivity was enough to let me wrote a full lenght e-mail to my niece Daniela. I tried to keep it as detailed as possible, so she wouldn't call me back with a ton of questions. I knew for a fact that she would call me as soon as she read the whole email.

Daniela was studying animation in Japan, she had been given a scholarship to study abroad for her excellency... crap, that girl could do whatever she wanted, but of course, she decided to come to Asia and follow her dreams. I wonder where she got that from. Not that I'm taking credit or anything, but I helped raised her... So proud. 

After that I just waited for the sun to rise, I watched more videos... I had to catch up with them if I really wanted to understand the concept behind what they did, or at least that was the idea. I ended up having a marathon of this hilarious kids making their way on the industry. Actually they are really good, its just that I tried not to get to know them before very well... they are way too young.

I was more into BIGBANG and Super Junior, Rain, FT-island,  and well... oppas in general. I am old for this , I have to admit it. But still, I am in love with this industry that had this young 10-20's feeling. Can I be in denial? I don't want to grow up, I want to keep feeling like I did in my teens, I want to live the life I missed... but reality is a .

As morning came I got ready. This time I choose something more fitting to present myself as a designer, I wore something simple, but nice, just my style: ripped jeans, a simple white shirt and a leather jacket. I let my hair down and wore sunglases, for the dramatic effect.

"Do I look cool?"- Takuya was just getting up, he had stayed that night because he was too drunk to drive home.

"Do you have to try this much?"- he said rubbing his eyes- "You always look cool"

"Thank you... now, do I really look cool?"- I ask again- "I have to make an impression"

"Stop trying to impress them"- he got to the kitchen and drank a sip of milk straight from the carton. I hated it, he had that damn disgusting habit- "If you hadn't impress them already, they hadn't contacted you"- that was true, but I had issues with nervousness and a lack of selfsteam due to my previous failures- "you look good, just go gave them your brains"

"Ok"- Takuya was indeed my best friend. This japanese guy had taken my heart way back in the day I just arrived to Asia. He came with me from Japan... Of course he was crazy, but he had the idea for his restaurants for so long that when I arrived to Japan, he just needed a excuse to leave and start working. I was the excuse.

"Ssal, go buy ssal"- he was the one that had named me ssal. Ssal is rice in corean, plain rice, without cooking. I was in love with rice, had always loved it. If there's no rice, for me the meal is incomplete, so that's how I got the name- "we've got no more left"

"I don't have time"- I answer taking my bags.

"Aren't you gonna have breakfast?!"- he yelled while I was approaching the door.

"I'm not hungry!"

"Well that's new..."- he waved and I send him a kiss.

___________________________________

Hello!! This took me a lot of time... I tried to have it for two days ago, but a sudden job came in. XD. I'm happy, I've got to earn some money if I want to have enough for my planned trip to Seoul in January... Wiii!!!

Sorry for this filling chapter... No Bangtan in this, but I needed to introduce her story briefly. Next chapter she gets to meet the boys! 

Thanks for reading XD.

Fangirl corner:

I find this quite inspiring. This artist works so hard and I love her style! Please follow her on tumblr

All credits of image to: Dewi