We stared silently at each other for the longest time. My mouth was hinged slightly open in a gape. I had no idea what to say to that. Did it really matter? Was I supposed to tell her? Normally, people wouldn’t really care. But Nari looked so appalled that I had not said anything to her that I felt like I’d done something wrong.

“I-I didn’t—” I stopped, not knowing what to say next. I stared at the answering machine, “what did the message say?”

She pressed the replay button on the machine, “Hello Miss Kwan, we of S.M. Entertainment would like to welcome you to our agency as a trainee! Please call us back and we will arrange an orientation date for you.” The message ended. Then my face broke into a huge grin. I made it. They liked me. I made it! I almost erupted into a series of cheers but the look on Nari’s face caused me to pause in whatever I was about to do.

“Here,” she said, handing me the phone. She walked back into the kitchen to prepare the congee.

I called the agency back and had an extensively long discussion with whoever the hell was on the other end of the phone. After much useless chatter, we scheduled my orientation date for tomorrow. I would have to have a tour and sign a contract. I was of age so I didn’t need parental consent. Thank goodness, I don’t know how I could’ve worked that one out. I can’t even remember if my parents know I intended to sign under an agency.

“Nari unnie,” I watched as she set the table for two. “Nari unnie, are you upset that I’m signing under S.M?”

“No, it’s not that. I’m sorry about reacting the way I did,” she sighed, “it’s just that any attention would pile up on me even more, especially since you’re living here.”

I blinked, “unnie, I’m not quite sure I understand what you’re saying, but I’ll move into the dorms soon so you don’t have to worry.”

“Yes, but you won’t stop spending time with me right?” she smiled sadly. I shook my head.

“Of course not!” her eyes lit up a bit.

“Oh! That’s good. Well, that’s also bad. But that’s okay,” she hugged me. “I’m glad you were accepted. You have to tell me all about it. Why didn’t you say anything about auditioning?”

I was initially confused. Why was it bad that I would continue to hang out with her? Strange woman… “I didn’t really have a chance to,” I told her. “It was just yesterday.” I went on to explain all the little mishaps about my day, from the cab hailer I hit with a door, to being hit with a door myself by Jonghyun-ssi from Shinee, to a girl named Amber helping me find kimchi.

As my story progressed, Nari’s smile just got bigger and bigger. It was the same look Amber gave me in the store, the one that looked like I was missing out on this big inside joke that everyone knew except for me.

I finished and she laughed, “You had a mighty interesting day yesterday!”

“It sure was odd, I’ll tell you that.” I played with the hem of my makeshift pajamas. I didn’t really have any at the moment. I had started unpacking and I only just realized that I didn’t have nearly enough clothes as I thought I did. “Nari unnie,” I began.

“Yes?”

“I think I’m going shopping today.”

“Good luck with that.”

Okay, now I understand why she told me that…

I couldn’t even hear myself because of the bustle within one of Seoul’s best shopping districts. There were people moving left, right, in front and behind me. I had to keep moving or else I’d get yelled at for stopping traffic. Even if I stopped, I’d still be shoved along by the other shoppers. My purse had to be hugged close because I swear I almost got robbed like, five billion times.

“Hey Miss! I’ll give you a good discount on an accessory if you buy this set!” a sales associate yelled at me. This is what I hated about Asian sales people. They wouldn’t let you just look on your own. They had to shove stuff in your face.

I ignored them and continued on into a larger store. Usually people wouldn’t bother you in the bigger stores.

I sifted through the racks, and browsed the clothing sets. A lot of the stuff appealed to me, and it was cheap too, but it didn’t really jump out and make me want to buy it. I grabbed a set off the rack and hummed. This looked like a nice summery outfit. It was a black chiffon dress set. The skirt of the dress was decorated with a cherry print and it ruffled. The black top had flowing short sleeves and the outfit was cinched by a pleather black belt.

“That would look really cute on you,” someone commented. I jumped. What is it with people watching me shop?! I turned around angrily, thinking it’s some annoying sales associate, to see a rather tall—by Asia’s standards— and extremely beautiful man.

“E-excuse me?” I spluttered. Oh yeah, good going Ami. You’re acting like a wreck in front of what could quite possibly be the most beautiful man on the Asian continent. Not only that, you half spoke in freaking English. He’s going to think you’re some weird foreigner.

“I said that would look cute on you,” he smiled. He grabbed the set from me and ushered me to the change room. “You look cute in this,” he said, in English this time. I was confused at first. He definitely knew how to piece sentences together, but he had a mildly strong accent.

“Are you a sales associate?” I narrowed my eyes at him. The look on his face was that of surprise. He looked taken aback. It was the same face Jonghyun-ssi made when I asked his name.

“N-no, I’m just a passerby. I just happened to see you looking lost,” he waved his hands defensively. “I can tell you’re a foreigner.”

Oh, was it that obvious? That’s embarrassing. “Oh, okay.” He pushed me into the change rooms, and just before he closed the door, I could see his face go red.

“I didn’t mean to intrude,” he said from the other side of the door. He sounded so embarrassed. I just wanted to squeeze him tight right then and there. I was so flustered. I could hear him turn away.

“Wait! You weren’t intruding. Please don’t leave,” I peered through a crack in the door. He was cracking a smile as I opened the door.

“If you’ll allow it,” he laughed. “Have you changed?”

I know I should’ve been more alert because he was just a stranger, but I still stepped out and showed the outfit to the man as if I was shopping with my girlfriends.

“What do you think?” I looked in the mirror. It was really cute. Wait, why was I asking this man?!

“I told you it’d look good,” he twirled me around. I giggled along. People in the store stared. The older women were cooing about “the days back when they were like that”. The man stuck an accessory on my head and placed a pair of cute shoes on the floor for me to step in.

“Wow,” I breathed as I stared at myself in the mirror.

“C’mon, I’ll buy that set for you,” he offered as I changed out of the outfit. He took the dress, the shoes and the accessories and walked to the counter.

“What? No, you don’t have to—” I protested.

“Please, what kind of person would I be if I didn’t buy this outfit for a pretty lady like you,” he winked.

“A normal person…” I mumbled. He heard me and laughed.

“Miss, someday you’ll find out I’m not a normal man.” I smiled a bit. This person was so strange, and yet something about him drew me in.

He handed me the bag with the outfit. “O-omo, thank you for this,” was it also obvious that I wasn’t in a financially comfortable place right now? I came with as much money as I could, but being unemployed was a bit of a problem. I was worried about training fees until Soohye told me S.M. covered everything from housing costs to food. All I had to worry about were the little things. Trainees still needed jobs until they debuted and started making money.   

“It’s not a problem at all Miss,” he smiled.

“Ami, my name is Kwan Ami.”

“Nice to meet you, Ami-ssi,” he guided me out of the store. “I’ll show you around the district if you like."

“I would like that actually,” I grinned. I turned to him, “by the way mister, what’s your name?” 

OMFG ANOTHER UPDATE FINALLY. I hate having a job. It takes up alot of my time. I don't like it. But I come home to you pretties to WHATEVER. Who is this man? You can probably guess. He's got black hair and brown eyes and he's about average height for a male. You know him right? Yeah I thought so.

Thank you to all who subscribed since my last update.

And remember!

SUBSCRIBE

COMMENT

AND PROMOTE!

-Lilmisschique