Autumn Angel | JHS ✔

.one.

The spiral stops spinning, but the prize behind it doesn't fall. Is this what life is like? You put in effort, time, patience, and right when you think you've reached your goal, it stops right before the glorious, ultimate moment. And then you're left frustrated, confused, and disappointed.

I kick the vending machine, but still the bag of chips in the top row doesn't fall. Behind me, Aria laughs. I grab the sides of the machine and shake it violently, causing the goods to finally succumb to gravity. Bending down, I slide back the flap and pick up the chips before walking over to the small round table in the open area to sit next to my childhood friend. Aria sips her own drink she got from the machine. 

"Are you nervous?" I ask her. 

Her eyes widen and she tucks a strand of her naturally-platinum blonde hair behind an ear. "Yes, I'm terrified." 

I open the bag and pop a chip into my mouth. "I'm sure you'll be fine." 

Over the years, Aria had slowly built up an army of supporters through social media platforms, attracting people of every demographic with her singing and unique looks. A few months ago, she had officially signed onto a record label, and the first song she had released through them had done so well she was slowly becoming a national treasure. Today would be her first time at a major talk show. 

"Don't try to pretend to be funny. It comes off cheesy." 

Aria rolls her eyes. "I know that. No matter what I tell myself now, I know I won't be able to control whatever happens in the moment." 

I take out my phone and pull up her song. Her gaze follows me as I stand up and move to the open area in front of the table. "Relax," I say as I start to move my hips to the rhythm. "Dance with me," I say, extending a hand. 

Aria laughs. "You're the dancer, Autumn. Not me." 

"I can teach you," I say, lifting my arms and allowing my body to do whatever. 

She giggles. "How long do we have until I have to go on? Thirty minutes? An hour?" 

I shrug. "Who cares? What genre do you want to learn first? Ballet?" My spine straightens and I move to fourth position before spinning around once in a pirouette. "Hip hop?" My posture relaxes immediately and I move my body around in sharp, grand gestures. "Contemporary?" I shift my expression to something dramatic as I drop my knees to the ground and let my limbs flow together. 

I stand up and then break out into a grin, an idea popping into mind. "Or maybe we can just switch professions for a day. I'll go up to sing instead of you. How does that sound?" I start to sing along to Aria's song playing on my phone, terribly off-key and shifting notes from one octave to another. My hands fist and lift to my mouth, creating an imaginary mic, and I tap my feet to the rhythm, pretending to be the performer in the midst of a large audience. 

I look over to Aria who is giving me a strange grin, looking at something behind me. When I turn around to see what has caught her attention, my eyes widen. In front of me stands a young man, his hair dyed brown and his lips peeled back to showcase a large smile, all of his teeth on display. In front of me stands one of the most successful idols in Korea and all over the world. In front of me stands Jung Hoseok. 

It feels like I stare at him forever and when I finally come to, I bend ninety degrees at the waist. "Hello," I say, switching over to Korean. 

His eyes widen. "You can speak Korean?" 

I nod, understanding his surprise. With my tan skin and long, curly hair, I would have been surprised too. "Is there anything I can help you with?" I ask. It wasn't everyday one of the most famous people in the world stopped to talk to you.