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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Jihe's loud voice on the other end of the line made me flinch. With a pained expression on my face, I held the phone away from my aching ear while Jihe loudly began shouting incomplete sentences into the phone. She sounded out of sorts and her voice grew higher and shriller with each sentence.
"Hold on...hold on...JIHE!" I ended up shouting into the phone myself, startling the two children who looked at me with wide eyes. It quietened down on the other end of the line and I gave the two children a reassuring smile before leaving the room, still with the phone to my ear. I closed the door behind me and leaned against the wall facing the children, who by now were back to their pictures.
"All right...what happened?" I asked cautiously, concerned.
"Why didn't you answer the phone, Josie?" asked Jihe on the other end, her voice shrill with panic. Immediately, panic overcame me and sweat formed on my palms as my thoughts drifted home.
"What happened at home? Are you guys hurt? Do you want me to call someone?" I asked by now panicking myself and a broken down flat door came to mind followed by my injured roommates on the floor. My gaze slid across the ward in search of the two girls' parents, unsuccessfully. Thirty minutes ago they had gone to the cafeteria and so far had not returned.
"What...? No...we're fine, Josie! But...you should come home." Jihe clarified and the adrenaline jerkily disappeared from my body, almost causing it to slide down the wall. I breathed loudly against the phone.
"I thought something bad had happened at home," I said, sighing, and suddenly there was a suspicious silence on the other end of the line. I could barely hear Jihe's breathing against my ear before she sighed into the phone only a minute later as well.
"Not exactly...no..." was all she said and I frowned in confusion.
"What do you mean?" I prodded.
"There's someone here...someone important..." she almost whispered into the receiver, though I struggled to hear her properly. My brow furrowed even more and I pursed my mouth.
"Someone important?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes, someone important. Famous...to be exact," she said mysteriously over the phone and my quiet disbelief turned into a mocking snort. My hand ran through my curly locks as I could only shake my head.
"You should come home, Josie!" she repeated over the phone, her tone becoming serious as well as urgent. I, on the other hand, thought her call was a prank call. After all, in the weeks I had already spent in Seoul, we had not encountered any notable personalities, let alone celebrities. These facts alone made this call implausible. Jihe sensed my hesitation.
"Josie...I know this sounds crazy...but..." she began, but I immediately interrupted her as I saw the parents of the two children running around the corner and into the infirmary. I quickly turned my back to them, half hiding my phone from them.
"I'll be home in half an hour," I mumbled quietly into the phone and hung up before going back into the infirmary. The two girls had not been put off by my phone call and we're still sitting at the table in the corner, painting. Only a moment later the door opened again and their parents entered. Both girls jumped up when they saw their mothers standing in the doorway and waved their coloured princess pictures excitedly. A big smile formed on my lips as the girls proudly presented their artwork.
"Thank you for looking after her. I hope our daughter behaved herself?" asked Su Bin's father. His eyes were fixed on his wife and daughter. I just nodded.
"There was no trouble at all," I answered honestly and the father nodded, pleased with his daughter's behaviour. I suddenly remembered Jihe's phone call and turned to Su Bin's father.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this...but I received a call from one of my roommates recently. They are expecting me at home." I explained carefully and Su Bin's father nodded understandingly.
"Of course. I think you've stayed longer than any of your classmates," he replied, smiling slightly.
"Leaving already, Unnie?" a sad-sounding voice suddenly asked and I caught Su Bin's big innocent brown eyes. By now she was lying in her bed, the drawing of her princess beside her on the bedside table. My lips formed a reassuring smile and slowly I sat down on the edge of her bed.
"I promise...that I will come back soon and...maybe...next time we will have a little tea time too. What do you think, Su Bin-ah?". My smile widened when I saw Su Bin's expression. Full of joy, she clapped her hands and her wide grin flashed her white teeth. I quickly glanced at Sun-Hi, who also nodded enthusiastically.
"All right," I said with satisfaction.
♛
My brown knee-high boots clicked on the pavement as I passed the pavements home with quick steps. My grey and blue skirt flowed around my legs as I wrapped my brown coat tighter around me. Soon I spotted the white familiar building complex and slowed my pace minimally. Curious, I looked up and discovered the 14th floor, which was brightly lit in all the windows. I blew out the cold evening air and searched in the depths of my pocket for the front door key. Again and again, Jihe's call came to my mind and the more I thought about it, the more unreal I found the story.
After exiting the lift on the 14th floor, I stood in front of our door. My brow furrowed again as I heard voices on the other side. Among them, was a soft male voice.
"Why would...?" I asked quietly at the unfamiliar voice and with my brow still furrowed, I unlocked the front door. The heated warmth of the flat flowed towards me and began to warm my body the moment I stepped in the door.
