Josephine Swan never thought she would be drawn into the world of K-Pop during her stay in South Korea. Every day she faces challenges that fate has in store for her and her four members.
"𝙇𝙚𝙩'𝙨 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬...
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Skillfully, the driver steered our car through the midday traffic while the second-longest river in South Korea spread out beside us, glistening under the sun. Silently, my eyes followed the passing cars while my manager sat buckled in next to me. On her lap several papers of stapled sheets.
"Because you changed the group, the entertainment now provides training in the Japanese language in addition to your Korean lessons. They will be added to your new timetable and aligned with the rest of your classes," she explained, her brown eyes quickly skimming the papers.
"Your headmaster has also been made aware of the current situation and will brief the rest of your teaching staff promptly so that no difficulties arise regarding your schooling and training. He has also informed us that your graduation is scheduled for February next year, provided you pass the final exams next month," she added and I tore my gaze away from the coloured cars.
"And...the hospital visits?" I asked cautiously and Lim Myung-ok gave an audible sigh.
"It was agreed that I could keep up the visits if they didn't negatively affect the training and lessons," I underlined, my stomach throbbing, and I began to knead my fingers restlessly as my seatmate remained silent, deep in thought.
Finally, she took a deep breath and turned to me.
"In principle, it would still be possible under these set conditions...however, your situation has fundamentally changed, Josie. Your training will intensify, and your remaining time will be carefully planned to bring your level in line with the others. Even after you graduate, your training will not diminish, it will merely be replaced by the lessons you will no longer have," Lim Myung-ok explained seriously.
"Even...though the girls' debut is most likely not scheduled until the year after next, they are still expected to be fully focused and ready to perform. And I think...I don't need to inform you that although you are now also considered a potential member for debut...this is still not a final confirmation from the entertainment. As before...you can be downgraded or removed from the group altogether at monthly evaluations by the producers and CEO for poor or declining performance...if not from entertainment." she explained forcefully.
I nodded with my mouth pressed straight together and lowered my eyes to the black cover of the seat in front of me. Regrettably, I had anticipated a similar response in advance, although a large hopeful part of me wanted to contradict it. Even her confirmation that the same principles regarding exclusion still applied and that there would be no debut soon, only partially soothed my innermost feelings.
"I know these girls mean a lot to you. Just the way their eyes light up when you go to see them..." she said sympathetically, smiling slightly before her tone became more pronounced and stern again.
"...But...you will currently need your little remaining time to adjust to the new circumstances...including your new members and training. Yang Hyun-suk will show no mercy regarding your performance in the next assessment and also wants to see how you work with each other and function together as a group. This change is only an attempt on the part of the entertainment. If there are any problems, as I said...changes can be made," Lim Myung-ok said, ending our discussion.
♛
I blinked several times as we passed through the elaborate security checkpoint of the Bamseom Han River apartment complex and followed the winding road that connected the seven large buildings.
They rose into the sky like white giants.
Bright flowerbeds created a peaceful atmosphere, while trees of different types and sizes provided shelter and privacy on both sides of the road and enough. Wooden crossings and paths were built over created ponds and allowed safe pedestrian passage to the other sides. I smiled as I spotted a few children on playgrounds, occasionally peeking through the green leaves. Their loud laughter reached my ears.
The car pulled into one of the car parks and I noticed how my stomach began to flutter again with nervousness. Cars and vans large and small lined the car park as we came to a stop in front of one of the entrances to the white high-rise.
The earthy and fresh scent of autumn and trees enveloped me as soon as I opened the car door and stepped out. A distinct and stark contrast to the exhaust fumes of the roads trafficked by cars near my old dormitories.
"Gamsahamnida."
I bowed to the driver with a smile as he took my two suitcases and bags out of the boot of the car one by one.
"Josie."
Lim Myung-ok stood waiting at the side, looking at me promptly before she turned with a quick nod towards the entrance. I placed the bags on my cases and followed her slowly, up to a large glass door.
"The access codes for the different doors and lifts are in the documents I will give you later. As I'm sure you've seen, security is taken very seriously in these complexes...which is why losing or passing on these codes will have criminal consequences." the Korean woman explained and opened the door after quickly typing in the code. I nodded and dragged my bags down the large hall. A large counter stood nearby and Lim Myung-ok smiled kindly at the man behind the reception desk before walking with quick steps towards the lifts.
"The girls' flat is on the 15th floor," she explained as the doors opened and immediately closed again after we entered. I could feel my fingers begin to tremble again from the excitement as the numbers on the lift display got closer and closer to 15. My damp hands slid along the handles of the suitcases as soon as the doors opened with a little binging sound and we stepped out.
On the 15th-floor level, only two flat doors were facing each other. Lim Myung-ok walked up to the left of the two and rang the doorbell several times in a row. Only a few seconds later the door met us, opened and held open by a smiling Ji-soo. The other four girls stood close beside or behind her and bowed as soon as they caught sight of us. Each of them had a smile on their lips similar to Ji-soo's.
