I woke up early in the morning to the smell of bacon. Best way to wake up. I loved bacon. Wait, bacon?

I walked into the kitchen in my disheveled state and saw Nari making a western style breakfast.

“Morning unnie,” I yawned tiredly. “What’s with the western breakfast?”

“Oh, morning Ami,” Nari smiled. She was dressed and ready to go anytime. “I thought it’d be more welcoming than kimchi. It eases you into our culture, you know?”

“Oh, I see. Yeah, good idea, because I don’t know exactly what kimchi is.” It’s a Korean dish, obviously. But is it a stew? A vegetable? Who knows.

Nari stared at me like I had a leech out my eyeball, “you’ve never eaten kimchi?!”

I flinched, “no.”

“Sorry, I forgot, it’s still early,” Nari said. “We’re going to have to feed you some kimchi sometime. Maybe you can come out with me and Dong-hee and his friends. They go to traditional restaurants a lot after they’re done work.”

“U-um, okay. I don’t want to impose, really.”

“Nonsense, they love meeting new people!”

I smiled at her chirpiness, “alright then.”

“Awesome, now eat up,” she set down a plate of bacon, eggs and toast on the table.

“Gladly.”

I got ready to explore Seoul. Today, I would be checking out the S.M. agency that Henry told me about. I fixed my mascara and grabbed one of the few purses I brought with me. I searched through my luggage to find a pair of heels to go with my outfit. Should I wear heels? Yes, they make my legs look good.

“Where are you going?” Nari asked when she saw me at the door.

I faltered a bit, not knowing what word to say. “Looking for job,” I said. How do you say job hunting in Korean? Do they have an equivalent for that? “Be back soon.” She nodded and I walked out the door.

Scrolling through my phone, I tried to find the address that Henry gave me. With my portfolio and purse in one hand and my phone in my other, I tried to hail a taxi. Man, I must look stupid right now.

“Let me get that for you,” I looked to a man who stood behind me. He waved down a cab with ease and smiled up at me. He was around the same height as me, except since I was in heels, I was obviously taller than him. He was rather handsome, I suppose. I couldn’t see much of him, because he had shades and a cap on.

I got in the cab, “thank you so much!” I smiled. He grinned back at me. He was about to close the cab door for me when something grabbed his attention.

“Hey, wifey!” the man looked left to another man who went unseen to me and laughed. He shut the door and waved at me as the taxi drove off.

“Where to, ma’am?” the cab driver asked. I showed him the address on my phone and he looked briefly surprised before shrugging it off. The taxi weaved through Seoul’s traffic and pulled up to a grand looking building with the S.M. logo on it. Outside the building was an enormous line of people waiting to be called in to audition. I gaped. There were a lot of people there. Was I ever going to get in?

I took my place in line and hugged my portfolio to my chest. People in line turned and stared at me. It made me think something was off.

“Um, am I in the line for the auditions?” I asked hesitantly to the girl in front of me. She chuckled and nodded. Well, she must’ve picked up my accent.

“Are you here for modelling?” she looked at the portfolio in my arms.

“Yeah, you?”

“Singing, I’ve been training my whole life for this,” she grinned. I beamed back. She was a cute looking girl. Her hair was very long and it was a dyed brown colour. She was around 5’3 and she looked very fragile and skinny and her skin was porcelain white. My jealousy instantly resurfaced from my high school days when I felt like I was in the shadow of girls like that.

“That’s way more challenging than what I’m auditioning for. I hope you do well,” I stared at my folder.

“No way! It’s hard to get into modelling here. You need certain measurements and not a lot of people meet them. You look perfect though!” the girl continued to grin at me.

“Really? I’ve never heard that before. Thank you…?” I trailed off, not knowing how to address her.

“Baek Soo-hye, but I plan to make a stage name for myself! Something more international so other countries will like it too!” she pumped her fist in determination. “What’s your name?”

“Kwan Ami,” I said. “Excuse my terrible Korean. I’m not from around here. I must sound like I have no manners.”

“It’s okay, your accent’s rough and you use a weird mix of slang and honorifics but I understand!” she beamed. I liked this girl. She was like a ball of sunshine. I could practically see the rays emitting from her smile.

“Thanks, I think,” I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment.

She smiled and dismissed it, “just be sure to learn to differentiate slang and polite words when you’re here.” When she was about to explain more, the crowd of people lined up in front of us began to whisper excitedly. Soo-hye turned towards the source of the excitement and gasped.

“What?” I asked, surprised at the sudden hype.

“It’s Shinee, they’re entering the building!” she whispered back.

“What’s shiny? There’s nothing shiny over there. Trust me, if there was, I would’ve seen it,” I said, nodding confidently.

“What? No! Shinee is a popular boy band. They’re under S.M.!” Soo-hye informed me. I blinked. All the bands I bothered to check out were f(x) and that strange Super Junior. Well, I briefly saw a video of this Girls’ Generation but I didn’t really get enough out of it to decide who they are and whether I liked them or not. Oh! And that one girl group that did the hip swinging dance. I liked that.

“Oh, oops, sorry, I didn’t know,” I bowed sheepishly.

Soo-hye shook her head, “no, it doesn’t matter. I know you aren’t used to our culture.” She’s so understanding. I thought my head would’ve been bitten off.

“Who’re they?” I pointed to two young men leaving their van to get into the building.

“They’re two of the five members of Shinee. The taller one’s name is Choi Minho. He’s really athletic and he’s the rapper of the group. The shorter one with the baby face is Lee Taemin, the maknae. He’s the main dancer,” Soo-hye pointed to the respective boys as they walked towards the building.

“Athletic you say?” I eyed Choi Minho with a look of interest. I liked athletes. I was one myself. It was the only thing I was good at growing up. The rest of my family were all about academics and the arts. I was the only jock.

This Minho guy seemed intriguing. I really like guys who were athletic. And good looking and talented and smart, but you know…

“Yeah, he’s on this sports variety show called Let’s Go Dream Team season II. He’s called their ace because he always wins the events!” Soo-hye recited like she was a Wikipedia or something.

“Wow,” I breathed, “I’d be famous just to be on that show.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I love sports,” I grinned.

“There aren’t a lot of girls on the show but there is this thing every year during the summer where the idols would compete in these track and field events. It’s called Idol Star Athletics and Minho oppa is always one of the best,” Soo-hye said, watching as Minho and Taemin retreated from the whispering fans into the building. Choi Minho looked towards the lineup of hopefuls. I don’t know if it was just me, but I swear we made eye contact, which would normally make most girls scream, but since I didn’t know him, I didn’t really do anything except stare back. He looked really tired.

“I want to be in that competition,” I sighed. Okay! I should work extra hard to get hired so that I can be in that championship! Oh, wait hang on… “Do they consider models idols?” I turned to Soo-hye.

She shrugged, “sort of. Some become idols. It’s mostly those in the music business. Minho oppa got into S.M. through modelling and look at him. S.M. gives you training and housing and everything you need when you become a trainee.”

“That’s awesome!”

“Yeah, but it’s also extremely difficult to keep up. You have to work really hard.”

“I’ve heard,” I thought back to what Henry told me.

The line steadily moved forward and as I got closer and closer to the audition rooms, I became more and more nervous. It was only one agency right? There were many out there that I could go to. No matter how many times I assured myself this, I still felt as if I was about to faint from the pressure.

One of the prospects who were ahead of me exited the building with tear stained cheeks. My breath hitched in my throat as I was called into the audition hall.

I reached for the door handle when—BAM! I fell flat on my when someone swung the door open from the other side.

“Hold up Taemin, I forgot something in the van,” the person said.

“Ow,” I groaned. He looked down at me sprawled on the ground, surprised by my presence.

“Well …” 

And there you have it! CHAPTER FIVE OMFG. I KNOW. AND SHINEE MAKES AN APPEARANCE. KINDA.

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