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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There was silence.
Stunned, I stared at the phone in my hands and tried desperately to sort out my thoughts. By now they ranged from irritation to surprise to complete incomprehension about what I had just experienced. A sea of emotions in which I was desperately drowning.
My head was pounding.
"You sang stunningly, Josie.", Jihe interrupted the silence, smiling sympathetically at me. Ahri beside her nodded in agreement.
"Indeed," whispered Kwon Ji-yong in front of me, looking intently at the phone in my hands. His gaze became more thoughtful before a small smile appeared on his lips.
"I'd like to try something...provided you agree.". Still, with my head booming, I looked at the Korean in front of me.
"I'd like to invite you to our recording studio," he said and my grey eyes widened in shock. Jihe and Ahri also stared at the Korean in bewilderment, their gazes shifting back and forth between us. My mouth opened and closed, much like a fish's.
"Excuse me?" was all I brought out and the smile on his lips widened, amused by my reaction.
"We have several recording studios in our entertainment. If it's okay with you, I'd like to give it a try and record your singing," he explained calmly and behind me, my two roommates made soft shrill sounds. Restlessly, they wiggled around on their chairs. Kwon Ji-yong glanced behind me and regarded my two friends with a more than amused look. I, on the other hand, remained calm and quiet. Probably many would have been flattered, if not hysterically mad at such an offer. However, I was still too perplexed to follow his offer. After a while of silence on my part, I was able to make out a small thread within my thoughts and reached for it.
"Honestly...this all comes as quite a surprise to me. I mean...I don't know much about singing. Before this karaoke night and this video, I didn't even know I could sing. I'm still convinced it's a fluke." I finally brought it out, reaching for my point of view at the karaoke bar.
"I don't think so! You have the talent to sing!" Kwon Ji-yong immediately contradicted me, making my face turn even redder. Silently, we looked at each other.
"Even with or without luck...there's nothing wrong with trying," said Kwon Ji-yong.
♛
Attentively, I scrolled through the various videos of Kwon Ji-yong or G-Dragon and BigBang. Jihe had not exaggerated her statement on the phone when she mentioned the celebrity visit. Her reactions alone when we met spoke volumes. The many music videos of our visitor and his four members had millions of clicks and according to the many articles, seemed to be very popular among the Korean population, if not throughout Asia or the Western world.
I was skimming through the pictures when a small knock jolted me out of concentration. I looked up and spotted my two roommates in the doorway. Slowly they stepped closer and took a quick look at my research. Jihe sat down on my bed while Ahri stopped beside me and looked at the pictures. A small laugh escaped her before she sat down on the bed next to Jihe.
"I still can't believe you don't know him. We sang one of his songs on our karaoke night. Don't you remember?" she asked, but I could only shrug my shoulders. At the time, I was more focused on my two roommates and the great fun we were having together than on song selection. Even with the music we performed together, we spent more time laughing than singing. I blushed at the thought.
"I can't believe he's heard me sing. Even when you're making a video. There are so many influences that can affect a voice externally. The voice could have been consumed by the video and thus changed. Or...' I was still trying to explain it believably. Ahri interrupted me mockingly and sat on my bed next to Jihe.
"Do you think a recorded video could change a person's voice to sound like Ariana Grande or Christina Aguilera? The moment you started singing...".
"You were stunning, Josie. The only one not acknowledging it ...is yourself!" said Jihe. Silence fell between us and thoughtfully I looked at the many music videos of BigBang and G-Dragon. His words came back to my mind, but my hesitation kept control.
"He wasn't wrong. Why don't you just give it a try? I mean...you don't have much to lose with this shot, unlike a lot of other girls and boys." Jihe said and Ahri nodded in agreement. Thoughtfully, I glanced at BigBang's Wikipedia page.
"I...it couldn't hurt at least. I mean...even if..." I stuttered more in trying to convince myself than my two friends. They were right in saying I wouldn't lose much if my voice failed. My life would go on as planned. I would continue to go to school, continue my voluntary social project and extra-curricular activities, and eventually return to England to study at Oxford University. Whether I could sing or not would matter any further.
"I think you should take this chance!" said Ahri quietly.
With a deep sigh, I reached for my phone and pulled the card towards me. Jihe and Ahri clapped their hands quietly in excitement, while I just gave them a small uncertain smile. Trembling, I put the phone to my ear.
"Yeoboseyo." someone said on the other end of the line and I faltered slightly in my intention. I glanced at my friends, who nodded encouragingly at me. I closed my eyes briefly to reassure them before I began to speak on the phone with a deep sigh.
A small meeting and a recording would change nothing.
