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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The grey Holsteiner snorted as I slowly ran the brush through his long tail and loosened the little knots.
"Do you still need help, Josie?" Melanie asked me, stretching her neck. Lan stepped up beside the German and watched me intently. I just shook my head and waved the brush towards the exit.
"I need five more minutes, then I'll join you," I said and turned back to my work. The brush with the widely spaced pins went through the tail hair from bottom to top. My other handheld the tail tightly to protect the hair. A clearing of the throat made me look up from my work and encounter a Korean man I didn't know. He stood waiting by the metal stall, looking at me intently. I interrupted my work.
"Annyeonghaseyo," said I, bowing in his presence. He did likewise, but his curious gaze remained fixed on me at all times.
"I apologise if I am interrupting your work." he began to speak slowly and I smirked slightly.
"No problem. How can I help you?" I asked.
"Honestly...I came here because of you. Your headmaster said I could find you here, Miss Swan." he explained and my eyebrows twitched upwards in surprise. Once again I let my gaze wander over the man, but his face continued to be unfamiliar to me. He seemed to be able to interpret my look, for a small smile played around his lips. His hand went to his jacket pocket and pulled out a white business card and handed it to me. I put the brush aside and walked toward him. With both hands, I took it and examined it.
It was in plain white. A logo of black strokes and arcs formed next to the name.
Yang Hyun-suk
YG Entertainment
Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
The logo flashed in my mind as if I had seen it before. However, it remained a brief memory, without further information. The address, on the other hand, made me sick to my stomach. Still holding the business card in my hands, I looked up.
"And how can I help you, Yang Hyun-suk Nim?" I asked curiously. A small smile played around his lips and he gestured out of the box with a simple hand gesture.
"I would like to talk to you privately. I am aware that you have other classes to attend, but...given the urgency of my visit...I asked your headmaster for an exception." he explained and surprised, as well as slightly concerned, I looked at him.
"I assure you that I have no intention of associating my surprise visit with any negative information. Quite the contrary, Miss Swan," he said and my thoughts gradually calmed down. I gathered up the grooming utensils and closed the metal doors behind me. I quickly placed the bucket beside me and turned my attention back to the man in front of me.
♛
The paddocks for the horses outside were surrounded by large trees and ensured the students and also the animals the necessary peace and privacy. The sun had already disappeared behind the large trees. Only partially did the thick branches and twigs allow the remaining sunlight to pass. Only a few animals were still standing outside their stalls. Slowly we passed one paddock after the other without any of us trying to say anything. Our shoes crunched under the dirt and stones of the reddish-brown cobbled path.
"How do you like South Korea so far, Miss Swan?" Yang Hyun-suk asked me suddenly, startling me.
"Your country has a very beautiful culture. Of course, many things are overwhelming for me here. Nothing compared to England. Even after almost two months in Korea, there is always something new to learn and discover. It can almost scare you how many cultural differences there are between us," I replied honestly, a big smile adorning the person next to me.
"Yes, change can be scary to a stranger. However, I heard from your headmaster that you had settled in well at your new school by now. You have made friends alongside your two roommates. Your Korean seems to be progressing and the PE teacher is impressed with your performance in rhythmic gymnastics." I felt his dark eyes on me as my hands clenched into fists. By now, the atmosphere among us was filled with nervous tension. I didn't know what made me more uncomfortable at the moment. The fact that he knew my name, my roommates and my school performance or that I still couldn't comprehend his background thoughts on our current meeting.
Suddenly, Yang Hyun-suk stopped and focused all his attention on me.
"I'm scaring you," he stated presumably from my face and I looked up. His mouth continued to be marked by a friendly smile.
"I am sorry if I gave you that impression. It was not my intention to frighten you. I can certainly understand your lack of understanding of my visit...after all, I am a stranger in your eyes." he said quietly, glancing at the paddocks before turning back to me with a deep sigh.
"But you are by no means a stranger in my eyes...nor in the eyes of the entertainment I run, Miss Swan!" he brought out and the symbol of his entertainment flashed through my mind, followed by the address. My eyes widened instantly as I finally realised its location.
Yang Hyun-suk looked at me before, with a simple movement of his hand, holding a USB stick between his fingers in the next second. I was beginning to suspect what he was getting at. Mentally, I prayed that my hunch was not confirmed.
"You are an impressively talented young woman, Miss Swan," he explained slowly and my eyes locked onto the flash drive. I cried out my prayers to heaven.
"What do I do to deserve this assessment?" I asked nervously, rubbing my sweaty palms against my breeches.
"It seems...you're not the only one who impressed me with that song, Miss Swan. Most remarkable because you have received no previous experience or training in the music industry.".
My eyes widened, alternately staring back and forth between the stick and Yang Hyun-suk. Slowly, he stepped closer, his eyes sparkling.
"The reason I'm here...the reason I wanted to see you for myself is...that I've been planning to form a girl group since 2011! The girls should be talented and pretty. We selected eleven candidates, of which only five members are now shortlisted," he explained, while I could only look at him stunned and with blank thoughts. His eyes fell on me again and his dark eyes sparkled mysteriously.
