Josephine Swan never imagined that her stay in South Korea would lead her into K-Pop's glittering and challenging world. Each day, she encounters new hurdles and adventures that fate has in store for her and her four team members. Between gruelling...
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One month later
"I can't believe you've been in South Korea for almost a whole month," my mother said on the other end of the line. I leaned back in my bed, letting the white wood creak in my back as I stretched out my legs that had fallen asleep. I suppressed a sympathetic groan as my tired muscles and bones complied. With my other hand, I reached for my laptop and placed it on my stomach. Different pages and portals were still open, giving me a glimpse of language and school subjects. Fortunately, the Dwight School was part of an international global network whose student body represented more than 38 countries.
"Tomorrow starts your first day of school. Are you excited yet?" my mother asked and I gripped the phone tighter.
"Yes, very. My textbooks arrived last week and I'm still going through them. They also have a wide range of extracurricular activities that are quite interesting. Archery, Cooking, fencing..." I said, typing away on the laptop.
"That sounds quite impressive, darling. Just...don't overdo it! You're still settling in, after all.".
"I know, but the school's offerings are very tempting...especially the horse riding. Besides, Ahri and Jihe attend a lot of my classes and courses, so I'll have two guides by my side for the first while." I replied to her.
"And your Korean? How are your language classes going?" she asked further and I took a long look at the books and notebooks on my desk. A few days after my arrival, I decided to get to know the language better to be well prepared for my two semesters. Of course, they also offered Korean lessons for foreign students, but I preferred to do the preparatory work and, with a little help, bought various study books and exercise books.
"It's not easy, but I'm making progress. The girls help me a lot, especially with pronunciation," I said.
"That's nice. I'm glad to hear you're getting on well.".
"Indeed. They are great. Last week they asked me to make the fish and chips. I used Grandma's old recipe...Jihe loved it!" I summarised and heard my mother laughing loudly at the other end. I couldn't help but laugh a little too as I remembered Jihe's incredulous hungry look. She ate three portions that night.
"And you? Do you enjoy Korean cuisine?" she asked, and I thought of all the different dishes I had eaten over the past few weeks.
"It took some getting used to at first, but I guess...that's the case in any foreign country. Jihe's father is a cook at a restaurant near us. We were planning to have dinner there today." I replied and closed the laptop with a glance at the clock. I slid off the bed and put it back on the desk.
"To celebrate the start of school?".
I quickly darted a glance at the wardrobe mirror and tugged my light grey off-the-shoulder jumper into place. Before I could answer my mother, there was a knock on the door and Ahri appeared.
"Are you ready? We have a reservation around 4 p.m." she said and I nodded. I quickly took the phone in my other hand and opened the closet door before picking up my grey coat.
"I have to go, mum. I'll call you tomorrow after school and tell you about my first day at school." I said and with a mutual verbal goodbye, I ended the call. On my white slippers, I slid to the door. Ahri and Jihe were already dressed in the hallway, exchanging their slippers for sturdy footwear. I followed their example and pulled my grey boots over my white jeans. My grey bag hung over my shoulder as we left our flat and headed towards the lift.
"We have another little surprise planned for you, Josie." Ahri smiled conspiratorially and I just raised my eyebrows at the rapt expressions on both my flatmates' faces.
"I thought we were going out for dinner?" I asked, confused.
"Of course, we're going out to eat, but...we've also organised another little South Korean treat," replied Ahri and together we stepped out of the lift on the ground floor.
"Don't worry, it will be fun and the perfect end to this day!" said Jihe.
♛
"Karaoke?".
Slightly irritated, I looked up at the multi-storey white house that was lit up in all colours. Even the stairs were covered with colourful singing figures and invited the guests to come closer. Four large windows rose and gave a glimpse of the stylish interior from the outside. Each room was decorated in a different style. What surprised me was the fact that the guests in the occupied rooms showed no shame or fear in presenting themselves. They sang to the laughter or cheers of others and showed little interest in the people passing by on the streets.
I became nervous at the thought that someone might hear me sing. My singing talent was suffocating under gymnastics and horse riding, for it had not come into play since I was a child. Ahri and Jihe seemed to notice my nervousness, for their worried faces turned towards me, their eyes following mine and lingering on the large windows. They then relaxed and patted my shoulder.
"Don't worry. The Luxury Su is one of the biggest and most popular Norae Bangs. We've arranged a private room for us." Ahri said, walking towards the entrance as Jihe and I slowly followed her.
The interior of the Luxury Su was similar to its exterior, filled with many colourful lights. Several flat-screens hung on the walls, repeating American, British and more foreign music videos alongside their own South Korean sensations. In every corner, there were armchairs, couches and flat tables on which to relax. Plants in pots emphasised the aspects of a large living room at home. With Jihe by my side, we walked down the long hallway to a small reception hall and waited patiently until Ahri followed by the receptionist headed towards the back of the building. As time passed, the hallway became more luxurious and fancy. The floor shone at my feet, the wood of the doors resembled black paint, making them look more classy and expensive.
"You shouldn't have spent too much money on me! I mean...the other rooms were nice to look at too..." I muttered from behind while Ahri just waved her hand away.
"My sister is a regular customer and enjoys some benefits. She organised the VIP section for us, so apart from free drinks and snacks, we also have a private sectioned off area for ourselves," she explained.
"But...I can't sing." I continued to mumble. Jihe turned to me.
"A large percentage of the people who come here can't sing. They're just enjoying time together and having fun," she explained and I nodded.
"Last week, the actor Kim Soo-hyun was supposedly here," said Ahri in front of us and our Korean guide stopped in front of our private area with a polite smile. She took a key out of her pocket and let us in before bidding us farewell with a few Korean phrases.
