Call Me Noona

Chapter 54 -

Somewhere in the past couple of weeks, Min had uploaded a clip of Tori's routine on Instagram, with Nikki's permission, and it was going viral. Tori texted me that her mom was getting calls from all over wanting her to come on tv shows, wear their product when she skates, or apply for their sports program. There were lots of scams too, but Tori wasn't interested in any of them. She just wanted to skate.

Nikki told me later that there was one she hadn't told Tori about yet because it might change everything. She been contacted by one of the smaller entertainment companies in Korea. They wanted Tori to audition for them as a dancer. She said she had looked into it and it was a legitimate offer. She wanted to talk to Kyun and the guys about it before she told Tori. It would mean them coming here, or at least Tori. I told her I would set it up for her so she could get their thoughts on it.

There were several factors to consider. First, they would be uprooting themselves and starting over in a new country, something I know very well. Bobby would soon be a senior, so he might not be too excited about this. Tori would be all over it. Second, there is Kyun. She wasn't sure how Kyun would feel about it, because they would not be long-distance anymore.

"I don't want to throw myself in his face, and basically say, 'here I am!'" she told me on the phone. "I know he asked me to be his girlfriend, and after much persuasion I said yes, but that was also with an unspoken understanding that I was here and he was there. If I come there, everything changes. He may not want that. I am going to have to talk to him first before I ask the guys about this. I don't want to spring it on him."

"Nik, I don't think you have anything to worry about with Changkyun," I replied.

"Maybe not, but the point is that this will affect a lot of people if we do it. My instinct is telling me to dive in headfirst. But the rational part of me knows that I have to take everything into account, and I have to take my feelings out of it. I can't be selfish. I also can't assume this is what Tori wants."

"It is a huge decision. It was easier for me because I didn't have all the factors you do."

"Easier? Hun, don't you remember how much you debated because of us?" she laughed.

"Well okay, you are right. But you know what I mean." She agreed that she did, but she had to give me a hard time anyway.

"Yeah, I do... and you are right. There are three other lives to consider here. I am a proofreader. I can work from here, from there, from wherever. My job is not an issue. The kids schooling is an issue. I know it would be a huge culture-shock for them, and for me, but I feel like Bobby would not adjust too well. He would have to leave Alex and his other friends, he is really crazy about Amanda and I can't see him letting that go easily. He is doing really well in his classes and he is balancing his sports and his studies very well. I don't want to disrupt that. Tori is doing well too, but she is more focused on the skating and dancing than her studies. That is why I think it might be good for her."

"From what the guys have told me, being a trainee is very rigorous. You are always working on either your craft or your studies. There isn't much play time. It is very structured, almost like being in the military."

"Structure and routine are things that she thrives on."

"I think she would adapt well to life here too. She is very much into Korean culture and she adapts well to change."

"The other thing is where do I start? I mean, do I see if she is even interested first? If she isn't, the whole thing doesn't even matter. Or if she is and I decide we aren't going to pursue it, she will be heartbroken. Or do I gather intelligence from the guys first? They can tell me the upside and the downside to her becoming a trainee. If I do that, and Changkyun wants me to come and then we don't, he will be upset. Or maybe he doesn't want me to come. Maybe he likes having the distance." She sighed loudly. "Ah, Sunny, I just don't know what to do!" I could feel her frustration through the phone.