Summary:
In which the particulars of the contract are discussed, and Ra signs it. No turning back now...
Chapter Text
Of course, agreeing to take the job and actually doing the job were two very different matters. So was signing the paperwork for it to make it all official. JYP left that part up to his HR department, a reedy little woman who sniffed when she heard what the plaid-wearing American woman had been hired to do. Jin had thankfully accompanied her, to iron out the details of how many paintings were to be expected, how many English lessons, and exactly how Ra was to obtain the base drawings for the paintings.
"The boys have a comeback planned coming up." Jin was saying as the HR lady wrote up the contract. Both the contract and his speech was in Korean, though Chris had come with them to help facilitate any translating that might be needed. "Would it be easier to accomplish the paintings if you came along?"
"Came along?" Ra asked, blinking owlishly. "Along for... what? I don't know what that means."
Jin sighed and glanced at Chris. He spoke in much faster Korean that Ra could translate on her own, though she caught words like "concert" and "hotel." Chris turned back to her, ignoring the HR woman's glare.
"What he means is that we're going to be going on tour soon," Chris explained. "Europe, America, most parts of Asia. And he's asking if it would be easier for you to work if you came with us on the tour."
Ra froze. "On... On the tour? Like travel with you guys?"
Chris nodded. "It's a hectic pace, and it's not easy to be on staff for one, but it would also be a lot of fun." He nodded toward her portfolio. "And you'd probably get a lot better poses and stuff from seeing us in concert."
Ra visibly shivered. "I... I've never been to a concert before."
His eyebrows rose in surprise. "Never? Not a single one?"
Ra shook her head. "It's a little difficult to know what songs are going to be played live, and I don't know what live music would... do to me."
Jin glanced at Chris. He did speak some English, after all. Ra squeezed her eyes shut tight, thinking hard. She was already agreeing to do this, to jump out of her comfort zone this much. What was one more thing? Europe... Korea had been the first country she'd ever set foot in that wasn't the US.
"But what would that do with the English lessons portion?" Ra asked, chewing on her lips.
Chris looked at Jin. "Your visa required you to teach how many hours per week?"
"Ten," Rara said.
"Then we'll have you teach over Zoom five hours a week for trainees, and consider your time spent with Stray Kids to be additional English lessons," Jin said, glancing at the HR lady. She was furiously scribbling this all down.
Ra nodded, her grip getting tighter on her portfolio. "What about my apartment? If I go on tour with you guys, it'll just be sitting empty."
"Can you break the lease?" Chris asked. "I think we could convince your landlord with what happened. He'd probably be okay with that."
Ra chewed on her lip. "But then where'd I store my things? And where'd I live after we get back?"
"I think you can store your stuff at my place," Chris said. "And we can figure out the rest later."
Ra sighed, letting her portfolio slip to the ground. "I guess..."
They fell silent as the HR lady finished writing up the contract, printing it out for Ra to read through. Chris looked over her shoulder, providing translation where needed. It was pretty straightforward, and relatively standards as far as staff contracts went.
YOU ARE READING
Talk Nerdy to Me
FanfictionRa thought she was safe in Seoul. She thought a lot of things when she applied for the job teaching English on a whim. She thought about how anxious she was traveling to another country. How little Korean she spoke, let alone learning Hangul. How sh...