The Lucky Fans (LEE JUN HO'S FANFICTION // ENG VER)

03. Korea, I'm Coming!

Rhea's dream of working at Bloomsbury Publishing was delayed as she had not passed the selection process for the junior editor position there. Rhea was a huge fan of J.K. Rowling's work, and Bloomsbury Publishing was the home for all her creations. Perhaps, Rhea needed to enhance her resume and portfolio before applying again when the job openings became available.

Living and working in London was also one of Rhea's life goals. Enjoying a career as an editor while writing, with a view of The London Eye from behind Belvedere Gardens, was one of her many dreams. However, her mother said that her dreams were too lofty.

Rhea clicked on the calendar on her laptop. It had been four months since she applied for The Lucky Fans program, and up to that moment, there was still no sign of whether she had been selected or not. Her chances of getting chosen were only 0.001 percent, and she didn't expect more than that. With two major fandoms applying simultaneously and only six lucky fans from around the world being chosen, just imagine what her odds of success were.

The last update Rhea read mentioned that the program would begin filming in September. It was now the end of May, and there was still no further information on whether the six lucky fans had been selected. Oh well, maybe it just wasn't Rhea's chance to meet Super Junior.

June, 2023

All the chairs were arranged, and the merchandise was neatly set up on the table. Rhea hoped that Olivia's novel release event would go smoothly. She couldn't hide her smile, feeling genuinely happy for Olivia Puspita, who had become a highly anticipated author among Indonesian teens. Moreover, Olivia was still active on Wattpad, sharing short stories that were deeply moving.

After signing the contract with ONE Publishing, Olivia was only allowed to publish short stories or serialized fiction on Wattpad or other writing platforms she had. "So, how are you feeling? Still nervous?" Rhea asked as she approached Olivia, who was already seated in her chair.

"Meeting readers face-to-face like this, there's no other word but nervous," Olivia said, her voice filled with excitement. Rhea smiled warmly as Olivia clasped her hand. "Thank you so much. Because of the opportunity you gave me, I've been able to achieve one of my lifelong goals," she added.

Rhea gently patted Olivia's shoulder. "You really are talented, Olivia. Maybe our collaboration is one of God's plans. Keep up the spirit!" They both shared a smile before Rhea's phone vibrated with an unknown number clearly displayed on the screen. She stepped aside briefly to find a quiet place to take the call.

"Hello?"

"Good afternoon. Is this Rhea?"

"Yes, this is Rhea speaking. May I ask where this is from?"

"This is Tia, the Indonesian staff for The Lucky Fans. Can we meet tomorrow?" Oh, from The Lucky Fans.

Wait a moment...

-ooo-

And there Rhea was, waiting in a café located in a luxury mall she had never dared to enter before. She wasn't alone; there was another lucky fan, a Hottest who had been selected as well. Her name was Elisa, eighteen years old, and just graduated from high school.

"When did you start liking 2PM?" Rhea asked to break the ice. Although she wasn't usually one for small talk, it felt a bit uncomfortable to sit together in silence without exchanging a few words.

"Since 2020. It was after watching Dream High—I instantly fell for Woo Young."

Dream High was a musical drama featuring young K-Pop idols from that time, including three under JYP Entertainment, with two of them are 2PM members, Taec Yeon and Woo Young. "So, your bias is Woo Young?" Rhea asked. Elisa nodded.

A few minutes later, a woman with an Oriental appearance approached them, and Rhea recognized her as Tia from the ID card that read The Lucky Fans Staff. Tia smiled as she stood before them and apologized for being late. Rhea was puzzled as to why Tia needed to apologize; she had arrived right on time.

Tia began to explain in detail about the highly anticipated program. The Lucky Fans would start filming in September, specifically in the second week, to avoid overlapping with 2PM's concert celebrating their fifteen-year debut. There would be a lot of fun games and casual chats. The shooting was expected to last about a month for twelve episodes.

"Since we'll be heading to Korea in September, you'll start receiving private Korean lessons next week. The producers of the program want the fans to be able to speak some Korean, even just a little, to ensure the show runs smoothly," Tia explained.

Both Rhea and Elisa were perfectly fine with that. After all, who wouldn't want to go to Korea with most of the expenses covered by the program? From private Korean lessons to flights and accommodation, everything was taken care of.

"You don't need to worry; there will be plenty of staff there to assist you. If you have any doubts, just ask. They're all really nice. I've already had training with them myself," Tia reassured. Judging by the way Tia spoke so highly of the The Lucky Fans staff, there really was nothing to be concerned about.

After the meeting with Tia, Rhea headed straight to one of her favorite malls to pick up a few essentials before her trip to Korea. Okta was already there, blissfully unaware that Rhea would be gone for an entire month. Regardless, Rhea needed to take her leave. In her five-year career, she had only taken time off three times. Adding it all up, she still had more than a month of vacation left.

"Rhe!" Okta waved enthusiastically when she spotted Rhea walking into the restaurant where they had planned to meet. Okta, also a 2PM fan, was aware of the The Lucky Fans program but couldn't apply due to her extremely tight schedule.

Once their orders arrived, Rhea began to share the news with Okta that she had been selected as a lucky ELF and was all set to head to Korea. "Why didn't you mention this from the start?" Okta asked, clearly surprised.

"Because I wasn't sure I'd make it, considering my effort wasn't as big as other fans."

"Yeah, it's called The Lucky Fans for a reason. So, are you planning to take a leave?" Rhea nodded while savoring the rich flavors of her aglio olio pasta. "I don't mind you taking a month off as long as you can still work from there."

"Then it's the same as not taking a leave if I'm still working, even if I'm in a different country."

"After all, you're the only competent employee I've got."

They both laughed. It seemed that Rhea would need to get Jun Ho's autograph for Okta, who had been so generous in granting her a full month off. Like Rhea, Okta had been a Hottest since 2013 and had instantly fallen for the charms of Lee Jun Ho. Especially after watching King The Land, her affection for her idol had skyrocketed by three hundred percent.

After their meal, Okta accompanied Rhea to buy a suitcase, as she didn't own one. Okta suggested that Rhea should buy two suitcases, as women often need one suitcase specifically for souvenirs after traveling abroad. Rhea took her advice and bought two pink suitcases along with an additional bag.

While Okta busily searched for a few items in the same store, Rhea opened her small notebook and checked off two of her goals that had been achieved: (1) Meeting Super Junior and (2) Traveling to Korea. She closed her notebook with a smile and said, "Korea, I'm coming!"