GOT' DREAM-ING

CHAPTER 4 - REHEARSE-ING

She took out the beef bone broth from the fridge to warm it up later. She managed to wake up when she got the morning call. She dragged herself out of bed again. Four more days, she said to herself. She brushed her teeth and changed her clothes. She was ready when JayB knocked on her door. They headed to the elevator and met the others halfway. At the gym, Youngjae asked to be her partner as she couldn't teach him English yesterday. She started with basic conversation as Youngjae has already nailed his lines.

"When someone asked you 'How are you?', you don't usually reply with 'I'm fine, thanks, how about you?'. That's a textbook conversation, not a real life one. So when they ask how are you, you can say 'Great!' or maybe 'Just so-so' or even 'Terrible' depending on your situation. And I notice you always raise your tone up at the end of your sentence. Just lower it. I know you wanted to sound excited but that makes you sound like a tourist, foreigner, who doesn't talk English," she said. "Okay, now let's start. Hi Youngjae! How are you?"

"Hi noona! (tone up) I'm okay (tone up)"

"Just tone down at the end of your sentence!" she scolded him. He repeated it once again flatly and she seemed satisfied.

"Now, let's say your fans ask you, how do you like Singapore so far? What will you say to answer it?"

"I like it (another tone up)." She almost smacked his head.

"I told you already, don't tone up at the end of your sentence!" she felt frustrated. Why did he always talk in cheerful tone? "Wait, when you were a radio DJ, you'll talk in lower tones right? Because it's more comforting to hear rather than higher tones." He nodded. "That's the same with talking English. You don't use high tone as well. Okay let's start again. When you're asked about Singapore, do you really like it?" He shook his head. "Then you should answer it honestly. Let's say, I don't know much because I don't have time to explore Singapore so far, but I've tried some local food." He decided to just copy her word by word.

"Then if they asked, what's your favorite local food that you've tried?"

"I'd say kaya toast and the salted egg chips," he answered in Korean. She gave him a piercing look and he started to repeat his answer in English. This time in flat tone.

"Good... What do you want to do in Singapore then?" she continued.

"I don't know," he answered in low tone.

"It's okay, you can just say that you don't know. People will like your honesty." They stopped because it was time for a run. This time the trainer made them run around the block twice. She decided to use her face mask.

"Wait, can you breathe? We'll be running, you know," Jackson stopped her when he saw her putting on her mask after wiping her sweat.

"I'll slow down when I run out of my breath. We're running outside. With you guys. No way I'm showing my face out."

"Why?" he asked again but she didn't answer him as the trainer started to usher them out. They ran for at least 30 minutes before they headed back to the hotel. Luckily there were not so many people early in the morning. Shower time for 45 minutes then breakfast as usual. She heated the bone broth she has taken out earlier before heading to the bathroom. She poured it into a thermos flask and brought it with her to the dining room. She already walked down the hallway when she remembered that she forgot to check on her neighbour. She started to detour and knocked the door.

"Wait a minute!" A voice answered in Korean from the inside. She waited until the door opened for a bit.

"Ah, you're finished already noona? Wait a minute, I'll be quick," JayB said immediately when he opened the door and saw her outside. "Do you want to wait inside?"