Been There, Done That (Long Lost Kpop Siblings Book 3)

Chapter 3: Stay With Me (Tasha POV)

Chapter 3: Stay With Me (Tasha POV)

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"Ok, that's filming done for today!" PD-nim announced. "Good job you all~"

Even though it was just being a host for KBS World's new season of 'Explore Korea', I, Tasha, felt exhausted. I had been MC-ing and participating in several variety and reality segments on TV much more often these days because my group, Skarf, was on hiatus after our promotions for 'Luv Virus' ended. I also have a regular slot on Arirang TV to attend on Mondays. Heol~

Let me further introduce myself. Although I am not the oldest member in my group, I have been appointed as the leader of Skarf. The oldest member is actually Joo-A. What makes me, and my fellow member Ferlyn, special is that I am not a Korean. Skarf actually consists of members from Korea (Joo-A and Jenny), Singapore (Ferlyn and myself) and Japan (Hana). I'd say my life in Korea is eventful so far, especially if you are in a Kpop group.

After all that filming though, I just could not get that boy off my mind. Who you may ask? The one who crashed into me as I was entering the music shop. Somehow, he intrigued me.

Tahsa, what were you thinking. Idols don't randomly ask strangers to meet up suddenly right?!

Nevertheless, I felt that I should meet him. I kind of sensed that he had a troubled personality and needed to be consoled...

Wait, how on Earth do I even know that? I'm a fortune teller now?!

With a lot on my mind, I headed back to the company building. SKarf had vocal trainning sessions today even though we were on hiatus. Since we were not a popular Kpop group, our lifestyles were not too stressful.

At my company, Alpha Entertainment, while we were in the midst of practicing, Ferlyn pulled me aside. Though I was the leader, she was still older than me, so I usually look to her for advice, especially because we could both converse in English. Recently, she noticed my troubled behaviour, and today is no exception. Maybe because we are from the same country? Keke~

"Tasha..." she spoke to me cautiously, "you've been very...unsettled lately. Did something happen?"

"No Fer," I tried to reassure her. Geez, what a lie...

"Tash, don't hide from the truth. I know you best amongst the members," Ferlyn continued to probe.

At this point, I knew I could not shy away from that meeting with that stranger. He may be random to the others...but he seemed very important at first glance...and I don't know why.

"Ok," I admitted. "I was on the way for filming for 'Explore Korea' and I met this boy. He was like some random person on the street, and I would have thought of that quite easily as well. But strangely, he intrigued me...like there was a...empathic link?"

As expected, Ferlyn did not believe me, and said, "Tash, come on. Stop fooling around..."

"But unnie! I'm serious!" I remained adamant as I blurted Korean...haiz...

"I...will try to believe you..." Ferlyn did not sound convinced.

After being reassured again that I was sane, she returned to the practice room. That left me alone for a while...to reflect...

The members all know that I had a silver heart necklace around my neck, and it was because my mum asked me to keep wearing it in order to remember her each time I was feeling homesick in Korea. But the peculiar thing about it is that the heart was an outline, so there was a heart-shaped gap in the centre. It made me wonder: would there not be some way to cover it up?

There has to be...

I had been waiting for mum to give me that final piece...but it never came.

(~Next Day~)

Having had another sleepless night, I had woken up bright and it dawned on me it was the day of the meeting with that 'intriguing boy'.

I had arranged to meet him there in the late afternoon, so now the question was whether he would turn up. Quite unlikely was my thought.

Why did I even ask a random stranger to find me?! What is wrong with me even?

"Miss," a cafe waiter walked up to me with my order. "gwaenchana? You have been behaving rather troubled since you entered..."

"Oh, um I'm ok. Don't worry~" I reassured him. I guess that's the only thing I had been doing to the people around me: reassuring them.

After the waiter left, it was the waiting game again.

I must have gotten distracted again, because somebody was tapping my table rather incessantly.

"Eep!" I gasped.

"Oh chesongabnida! I did not mean to scare you..."

It was him! That boy who I bumped into yesterday...or he bumped into me...? Argh, my brain...

"Ah...hi." I spoke in English by accident. "You came?"

"Oh? You can speak English too?" he asked in the same language.

Omo~ what's going on... How come we clicked so well?

"Ah, ye...no please do take a seat," I gestured to the empty seat in front of me.

As he sat down, I felt that feeling again from yesterday. That...empathic feeling.

"Annyeonghaseyo, choneun Tasha ibnida," I greeted. "But my real name is Natasha."

"Choneun Nate ibnida," he greeted back. "My given name is Nathan. Seeing from the film crews yesterday, you must be some top star...I never heard of."

"Ah...that's true..." I blushed.

For a while, we were apologising to each other for the accidental bumping into each other. I don't even know why we were making such a big deal out of it, but at least we were not awkward on the first meeting. During that time, we had also established our ages and formalities.

"So really," Nate asked me, "noona which group are you from?"

"You probably have not heard of us... 'SKarf' is my group," I answered. "I'm the leader..."

"Isn't that very young for a leader?" he asked.

"Glad you asked. Truthfully, I'm not the oldest member, but because I have been there the longest amongst the members, I was thus appointed the leader," I explained.

Nate nodded in understanding. I could actually live with this guy with his calm character. But my few years in the Kpop world had taught me to understand that people are good at hiding their true feelings.

Suddenly, Nate pointed at my neck and stated, "That's an intruguing bracelet you are wearing noona."

Oh...my bracelet. I wore it today thinking that it would be useful somehow...usually I don't wear it when meeting strangers because there is a tendency for them to snatch it away from me... I know, I'm paranoid.

"Thanks~" I smiled at the compliment.

"But...why is it an outline...? No offence," he pointed out.

"I know right...?" I laughed. "It ruins the visual attractiveness of the necklace."

As we were talking, I noticed Nate had a letter in his hand. Seems like he was running an errand or something...

"Oh? The letter?" he asked. "Don't worry. It's not that important. Although I need to send it to this address...and I am not sure where it is."

I checked the address on the letter and thought about it. The address itself seemed familiar...jakkanman...

"I know where it is," I told Nate. "Actually, we can go there right now!"

How did I know? Well that's beause it is SNSD Tiffany's place!

~ ~ ~

Wow! Tasha you go girl!

How is the introduction for this group! SKarf is the group to feature in this series! Did you guess it?

Tasha fighting! Singaporean spirit.

Now you see why I chose Nate as the character and also made it such that he is Singaporean?

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