Ahri, Evelynn, Akali, and Kai'sa; these were the names of the four girls currently sitting at your dining table.
Since the storm didn't show any signs of letting up and they had arrived a little after midnight, you mutually decided it would be best if they stayed here until daybreak. Thankfully one of the luxuries you sprung for was a king-sized bed that Ahri, Evelynn, and Kai'sa shared. Akali volunteered to sleep on the couch on the opposite side of you. You gave them some of your old clothes to wear and bid everyone a good night before quickly crashing out on the couch. By the time you woke up, Ahri had helped herself to the pantry and made a surprisingly lovely spread of eggs, french toast, and bacon.
Akali: You must have godly blood or something in you girl, this is divine. Would ya mind if I built a shrine? cause-
Evelynn: No rhyming before noon, Akali, that's the rule.
Evelynn sipped a bit from her coffee and nibbled on a strip of bacon. Kai'sa ate her food mostly plain and opted to go without the bacon or coffee. Ahri was partial to the eggs and bacon but didn't partake in the French toast. Akali coated everything in a thick layer of jelly and butter and then devoured the plate like a starved wolf.
You enjoyed a bit of everything and opted for orange juice instead of coffee this morning. . . and then immediately poured yourself a tall glass of espresso upon reflection. It was just necessary when dealing with Akali.
Y/N: So, have we reconsidered this insane course of action?
Ahri: Well, it's not as insane as you think. I do have my reasons for agreeing to this.
Y/N: Ha. I would very much like to hear them.
Ahri: I may need to catch you up first. You see, the manager I worked with over the last few years was not the greatest of people or a very good friend. Roy was focused on getting me to the top by any means necessary. He wanted branding deals, commercials, and safe music that anyone could listen to, the typical radio stuff. No heart. No meaning.
Y/N: Ahhhhh. As a fellow creative, I can see where this is going. You asked him to give you more freedom, make your music truly your own, annddd he shut you down.
Ahri: Exactly. So I threw it in his face and walked out. After talking with Eve, I decided to break my contract and start a new group with her. We found Kai'sa through social media; she's one of the best dancers in the world by far.
Kai'sa sipped her drink and smiled appreciatively.
Ahri: And Akali. . .
Akali: Maybe we save that story for another day.
Ahri nodded her head and took a moment to eat a bit more.
You sympathized with her in a way. It was hard getting the big boys in suits to take a chance on a new idea or sound. That was why people constantly said that Hollywood was out of ideas. You knew firsthand that there were plenty of amazing stories ripe to be shown on the big screen, but no one wanted to take the chance on something untested. So, the safest strategy was to continue releasing stuff people already liked.
Ahri: Once I had my team, I was ready to dive right in, but there was a problem. I haven't written my own music in a long time. I have so many ideas – and the others do as well – but we need someone who can help us put our ideas towards a cohesive whole. We need someone who isn't already in the industry and doesn't think about "mass-market appeal."
It was at this point something finally clicked in your mind. There was only one reason they would have gone along with Akali's plan to bring you on board. There was only one thing you had published that fit what Ahri was looking for.
Y/N: You all read Shen Shiu.
Kai'sa: bingo.
Evelynn: Yes.
Akali: It was so good!
Ahri: Precisely.
You sat back in your chair and blew out a long whistle. Shen Shiu was the first book you published back in your college days. It was about a prince who was cursed to become a dragon, but the book had a comedic twist, and the prince loved living as an immortal flying reptile. The reason Ahri must have thought you were a good fit for her group was 'The Song of Yue Yin,' a long poem that took place before the book's climax.
That was what compelled them to find me? It wasn't good. Hell, it was so bad I cringe at the memory.
Ahri: That song, I could hear it. I could feel it in my soul even though they were just words on a screen. It may not have been very upbeat, but it was moving in a way I hadn't felt in a long while.
Screen? They didn't buy a physical book? Blasphemy. Dirty heathens.
Y/N: So you want your songs to have an impact, make it stay with people long after they've heard it. That's admirable, not sure how we'll accomplish that with pop music, but we'll certainly see, won't we?
Akali: So that means you're in, right? You want to come with us?
Y/N: Well, I guess if you'll have me. . . then sure, I want to see where this goes.
Kai'sa: We're already a ragtag bunch of misfits, what's one more? And I think this little group has potential. The diva. The popstar. The dancer. The rapper. The writer.
Ahri: It sounds like we're putting together a crew for 'one last job.'
Akali: Oh! Oh! Can we rob a bank? I've always wanted to rob a bank!
Y/N: That is unfortunately true. . .
You moved onto the french toast, and your eyes widened. It was perfectly sweet without tasting too sugary. Akali was definitely correct about Ahri's skills in the kitchen. It wasn't hard to see why Akali was scarfing her food down at the speed of sound.
Evelynn: How exactly were you two friends for so long? You seem like complete opposites.
You sighed. This story was going to come up eventually and it would be best to fill them in on everything upfront—no point in making them drag your life story out little by little during your misadventures.
Y/N: Well, she just kind of showed up at school one day and didn't speak much English. I had some trouble with my reading speed and comprehension, so they made me take extra classes for it. She was in one of those classes.
Akali: You were so cute with your tiny little scowl! Hated everyone and everything. So precious!
Y/N: What can I say? I drink coffee. I hate people. And I know things. That's me. Anyway, since she didn't speak much English a lot of the other kids were. . . less than kind to her.
Ahri: Children are cruel.
Y/N: And the other kids just didn't like me for some reason. So the only friend I had was a Japanese girl I couldn't understand.
Akali: Outcasts for life bitches!
Akali jumped to her feet and leaned across the table to give you a high five. You sighed and met her halfway. She pumped her fist then collected her empty plate, going back for more.
Evelynn: Aw, how sweet.
Y/N: It was a friendship born out of necessity. No one else wanted to be around us, so we relied on each other's company.
Akali: Don't forget Colt.
Y/N: We are going to forget Colt; the bastard disappeared in the middle of junior high and went to Asia for high school. I haven't heard from him since. He's dead if he ever shows his face again.
Your cousin was your only other friend growing up. He was like a big brother to you. You, Akali, and Colt were inseparable until he hit high school, where he sent a message that he was moving and you probably wouldn't see him again. It was stupid to be still angry with him – it wasn't his choice after all – But it still hurt. It wouldn't have been so bad if he messaged or ever tried to get back in contact, but he didn't.
After high school, you went to college to study writing, and Akali left for Korea to follow her singing career with some high school friends. From what you heard; her band had a falling out the first year after they started. You tried to reach out to Akali, but she never replied to your messages. She went dark for a few years, and you didn't know whether she was even still alive, something that you found yourself worrying about from time to time. But from your current situation, it seemed that she was doing well. That was good.
You never finished a degree at the university since the first two books you published sold remarkably well. So you decided that if you could write a decent book without higher education, why bother with it? Your third and fourth stories sold in the hundreds of thousands. Your fifth book was a complete flop, panned by critics and audiences.
Fucking ingrates.
To be fair it wasn't your best work by far, written during that time you spent in Germany. . . but that backstory will be covered later.
Your latest book hit the 'New York Times Bestseller list, netting you a comfortable amount of royalties.
The next book was sure to outdo them all. It was about a woman who lost her home and everything she loved to an ancient warlord. The only things she still had were the clothes on her back and a metal staff. To gain the power to defeat the warlord, she must traverse through a mystical forest to find a mythical warrior race to train her in the art of combat, the Whistling Blades.
You felt a sharp pain on the tip of your nose and shook your head, snapping back to reality. Akali had flicked your nose.
Akali: Hellooooo. Ground control to Major Tom, you in there space cadet?
Y/N: Gah, sorry, spaced, what were we talking about?
Ahri: We were discussing travel and living arrangements. How much do you need to bring with you and how much time do you need before we go?
You sat and thought for a second. It would be best to travel light. . . but you also wanted to be prepared for anything. A week's worth of clothing. Your laptop. Toothbrush. A few books you've been meaning to read. . . and maybe the Xbox. You didn't have a whole lot of stuff that you needed to bring now that you thought about it.
You could probably ask Quinn to check up on the house every week, she may have been a crazy bird enthusiast, but she was nice and trustworthy. You also needed to finish up your second draft of the Whistling Blades before sending it to Tristana. She would kill you if it was not submitted on time. She really liked that antique cannon. . .
Y/N: Give me. . . two days. . . yeah. That should give me enough time to set my affairs in order before we go galivanting across the world. For travel, I can probably get away with one carry-on and one suitcase. I take it you ladies have a place to stay?
Kai'sa: We do, a little hotel in town. Want me to give you the address?
Y/N: Considering there's only one hotel in town, I'm sure I can find it.
Akali: Aw, I was hoping we were gonna stay and hang out with you.
The rapper seemed extremely put out by the prospect of leaving. Well, at least she still cared.
Y/N: As much as I'd love to catch up, I still have to finish the latest draft of my book before we head out. My editor will track me down and actually shoot me if I'm late. . .
Akali: Yeahhhhh Tristana is no joke. . .
Y/N: Raggedy old hag has no patience for art, and doesn't understand I need time to create a masterpiece!
Akali: Bruh, you're both the same age. That would make you both raggedy old hags. Colt would be old as dirt by that definition.
Ahri laughed at that and took a long draw from her mug.
Y/N: Yeah. Doesn't his last name mean dirt actually?
Akali: What, Carmine?
A geyser of coffee erupted from Ahri's mouth, coating Evelynn and Akali with the scolding hot liquid. She collapsed into a coughing fit for a minute before righting herself, her face completely flushed.
You hopped up and immediately pulled open the drawer containing hand towels–tossing a couple to each of the girls. It took them a minute to clean themselves up.
Akali: What the fuck was that, Ahri? I didn't know you were trying to replace Old Faithful too. Don't think this whole music career thing will be enough work as it is?
Ahri spun and grabbed you by the shoulders, dragging you up until you were eye to eye with her. This was a different side to the girl, she seemed almost panicked.
Ahri: Brown hair. Orange eyes?
Y/N: Sorry?
Ahri: Your cousin, Colt. Does he have brown hair and orange eyes? Pretty tall?
Y/N: Ummm. . . yess?
Ahri: Did he make dad jokes constantly?
You and Akali shared a terrified look, neither of you liked where this was going.
Y/N: Yes, he did.
Ahri: Would he go on tangents about the most random things? Played video games religiously?
Akali: I. . . how do you know him?
Akali was beside you now, firmly shoving herself between you and Ahri. You took a few steps back and Ahri took her seat again, placing her face in her hands.
Ahri: How do I explain this?
She took a minute to collect herself while you and the others patiently waited for an explanation.
Ahri: So, remember when I said that I had a friend named Hawk who was going to be our manager?
Evelynn: from high school, right?
Oh. . . Fuck.
Ahri: Well. . . he was a guy who transferred to my high school in my freshman year. He was the only white guy at our school and he stood a few heads taller than us, needless to say, he stood out. I was the popular girl and saw him as a challenge. It wasn't love at first sight or anything but we started dating pretty quickly, I even helped him learn our language.
She took another sip of her coffee and got to her feet, meandering around the kitchen as she spoke, the memory clearly making her anxious and uncomfortable.
Ahri: His name was Hawk Carmine. Well, he went by Hawk, but he implied that wasn't actually his legal name. He never told it to me because he was uncomfortable with it.
Oh no.
Ahri: We broke up after dating for a couple of years. I had to sign a contract stating that I'd be single when I began my idol career. He was nice, understanding. . . too nice for me really. . . but when I was looking for an available manager his name popped up, and I reached out. He was so willing to do it that I couldn't say no. He's waiting for us in Seoul, he hasn't met Akali yet, and I didn't mention your name before we came to get you.
Akali: Wow. . . Colt has an identical twin? That's insane!
You and Evelynn both facepalmed so hard that the resonance from the sound started an earthquake in Guatemala.
Colt was this girl's sweetheart? He changed his name to Hawk? He was managing the band you'd just agreed to write for? What sort of cosmic fuckery was this?!
Y/N: It means that our old friend is your new manager. That he's our new manager.
Ahri: I understand if this is too complicated for you. We can just write our music or find someone without any-
Y/N: No. I agreed as a favor to Akali, but now you have my attention. I was going to see if I could just send you the scripts from here but no, I'll be coming with you to Seoul. It's time to find out what my old buddy is up to these days.
Evelynn: Well, hasn't this gotten appropriately dramatic all of a sudden? Reunited lovers, a potentially rekindled friendship or rivalry, and it's all with our new manager. Someone should write a book about it.
_______________________________________
After breakfast, the girls promptly left your home and began making their way back to the hotel, Ahri driving the Jeep they rented. Evelynn rode shotgun, Akali driver's side back seat, and Kai'sa passenger back seat.
Kai'sa: Ughhhh, that was a disaster. Why did we think it was a good idea to invite this guy?
Evelynn: Don't look at me. Kali here wanted to reconnect with her boy toy.
Akali: Hey! I resent that remark.
Evelynn: At least tell me this isn't going to create some weird love triangle with you two and this Colt person.
Kai'sa: It could be fun to watch, though, Eve.
Akali: Ew! Colt was like a brother to me, no way in hell is there going to be a love triangle. (I promise)
Ahri: Well, that's something at least.
Ahri felt dejected. The whole conversation this morning had put her out. This wasn't what she had in mind when she wanted to create a new blend of music for the world to experience. This was supposed to be about the music, not reenacting some trashy young adult angst story.
No, this had to be about the music, it had to be her focus. Hawk was a supportive friend and nothing more. Who knows; if Y/N, Hawk, and Akali could reconnect and were friendly, then that might make the group dynamic even stronger than it would have been without this situation.
But talking with Y/N did bring up another fear of hers that she hadn't shared with the rest of the group yet.
Ahri: I don't think a love triangle is going to be the biggest obstacle. . . I don't even think the lyrics will be.
Evelynn: Why's that, sweetie?
Ahri: Talking to him reminded me of something. It's been years since you've been relevant, Eve. and I might be gaining traction, but I'm still, relatively speaking, a new name on the scene.
Kai'sa: Good point. Akali and I are no-name startups, you disappeared from the spotlight, and Evelynn's diva persona hasn't done her any favors recently.
Evelynn grumbled in response, falling silent again.
Ahri: I just hope Hawk pulls through for us.
Kai'sa: Has he managed many groups?
Ahri: He managed Pentakill for a bit until they broke up.
Akali: Pentakill? That's so fucking cool! Maybe he can get me backstage passes.
Kai'sa: Language, Akali.
Akali: Man, fuck that noise! You really think I'm going to hold my tongue after getting so hyped up?
Ahri couldn't help but laugh at that. She had only known Akali for a couple of weeks but this was to be expected. The girl only had three modes; rap, party, and sleep. For two-thirds of those, she was swearing excessively.
Akali: Will you be okay working with him again?
Ahri: Hm?
Akali: Colt, or Hawk, or whatever. Can you work with him again?
Ahri: Will you be okay working with Y/N again?
Akali: What's that supposed to mean?
The rapper's tone went from playful to uncomfortable quickly.
Evelynn: You were giving him bed eyes the second we walked in, hell, you tackled the poor boy.
Akali: No, I wasn't! I was just happy to see him. It's been so long and I forgot how much I. . . enjoyed spending time with him.
Ahri smirked, and her tail swept up and down the seat in a slow, almost teasing motion.
Ahri: Sure you were, and this whole thing isn't just you trying to reconnect with your boyfriend.
Akali: We never dated! We never even kissed. Don't make me out to be some love-sick ho.
Kai'sa: Lay off the poor girl, Ahri. You're no better in this situation. Look, I would much rather this situation does not devolve into a bad kdrama. So, I have a request.
Evelynn and Akali turned to Kai'sa, while Ahri's ears simply perked up.
Kai'sa: From my experience, dating co-workers never works out well. It hurts the group dynamic and that's not something we can afford since we're just starting out. I think it would be best if we table any ideas of doing such things. Akali, no sleeping with Y/N. Ahri, no sleeping with Hawk, no flirting either. Keep it friendly, but keep it professional.
Ahri: Oh, we're all adults here. I don't want any drama either. And I have no plans on sleeping on with him anyway.
Akali: I ain't some dime-a-dozen-ho. You won't have to worry, trust me, playa.
Evelynn: Are we school girls again? This conversation is bringing back memories.
Ahri: I resent that remark. And you're not much better, remember Jayce?
Evelynn's eyes went wide, and she folded her arms, turning away from Ahri.
Evelynn: Low blow fox girl, low blow.
_______________________________________
Your ability to plan ahead was matched only by your supernatural ability to completely ignore all of those plans. In the last two days, you hadn't slept a wink.
You spent the first twelve or so hours of your day blasting through the drafting process, ignoring a lot of simple mistakes when it came to sentencing structure and typos. That was what Tristana was for after all.
After your eighth cup of coffee in as many hours, you were working like a man possessed, your keyboard starting to smoke as your fingers frayed down to the bone, and your fingernails were filed by the friction. You had to write, it had to be done. Faster. Faster. Faster. By the twelfth hour, you had completed the second draft and submitted it.
It was at that point you realized some other things about your near future. You were going to be temporarily living in a country in which you knew nothing of the language or culture. You were going to be living with four attractive women on their way to fame. And, worst of all, your passport had expired.
. . . Fuck!
You spent that night reading up on the language and culture of Korea. You steeled your mind to any unwholesome thoughts that may enter your mind during your trip. You vowed solemnly that you were going to punch Colt in his stupid face when you saw him again. But the last part took a bit to fix. It involved the mafia, a swordfish, a bearded dragon, a metric fuckton of Adderall, and five thousand dollars.
In the end, you were able to get a brand new, totally legit passport.
That brought you to today. You were sitting by the gate to your flight, waiting for the girls. The plane was leaving in a half-hour and they were nowhere to be seen. You tried texting Akali, but everything went left unread.
Since you couldn't do anything other than wait, you decided to read a book that had been gathering dust on your shelf for an unreasonable amount of time. The series had a following so you were always curious about picking it up, but you just never found the time.
You were just getting immersed in the book, following the adventure of this daring monster hunter, when you were attacked from behind. The beast's arms closed around you like a vice, squeezing the life out of you while it pressed its face into your neck, no doubt readying to rip out your throat with its oversized teeth and tear you to shreds with rending claws.
Akali let you go and pulled back, realizing she startled you.
Akali: Sorry, my phone died and we had some trouble returning the rental car. . .
You turned around to see the others looking almost as disheveled as yourself. They all wore simple clothing; sneakers, leggings, and light jackets. They were covered in black from head to toe, except for Akali, who wore one pink shoe and one blue. . . and a purple coat. . . and mismatched gloves that were green and orange. . . her outfit hurt you.
Y/N: you can tell me later, I think-
Intercom: Flight twenty-seven, economy now boarding. Flight twenty-seven economy now boarding.
You gathered your back and slid the book back inside, falling into line with the rest of the girls.
Ahri: Eve and I are near the front. Y/N and Akali are in the back. Kai'sa got her own row, I think.
Kai'sa smirked at that. You just stretched out and rolled your neck. These fifteen-plus-hour flights never failed to be a harrowing experience. You just prayed that no one brought a child on the plane. Well, there was one upside to this, you were not flying Delta Airlines.
Intercom: Thank you for flying Delta Airlines.
_______________________________________
You and Akali took your seats. You were in the back left corner of the plane, actually having the row to yourselves as the third seat was unoccupied. Akali took the window seat, and you settled yourself next to her.
You took a second to get a good look at Akali. You hadn't had time to process what had happened the last couple of days. Her hair was now brown, almost black. Her eyes had finally settled on being a gorgeous sky blue. She had fair skin and a few scars that nodded towards her rough-and-tumble attitude, you recalled there being one on her right thigh when she fell out of a tree you had dared her to climb.
She spoke three languages – presumably – and was in a group with two of the largest pop culture faces in recent years (You finally looked up who Ahri and Evelynn were). The girl really had done well for herself, she probably could have done anything she wanted.
And yet, for her first project with these legends, she chose to immediately come back for you. It would have almost been heartwarming–if you still had a heart and were not just a machine created with the sole purpose of cranking out slightly above-average fantasy novels.
God. Why did I never ask her out? She's so perf-
???: Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
And then it started, the crying. It was a few rows ahead of you, but close enough that you wouldn't have minded if some extremists thought that taking out this plane was an excellent mark to add to their resume. Luckily, you came prepared.
You pulled out your trusty wired earbuds. You stuck in the right one and were about to put in the left when the small object was wrenched from your fingertips.
Akali: If you're escaping, then you're taking me with you.
Y/N: You don't even know if you like my playlist.
She gave you a lazy smirk and leaned against your shoulder.
Akali: whatever it is, it's gotta be better than that. Now quick, make with the tunes writer man.
You shrugged and pressed shuffle on your phone's playlist.
The song started off a little slow, the instrumental building as it brought you into the wondrous world of alternative rock. you closed your eyes as the lyrics kicked in.
Akali: This is. . . sort of peaceful. Not bad for a keyboard jockey.
Y/N: Ha ha ha. . . what happened to you, Akali?
She grew kind of melancholy for a moment, her eyes glazing over as she began to recall her adventures over the past few years.
Akali: A lot happened. . . too much happened. I don't know how much of it was circumstance and how much was my fault.
Y/N: It be that way sometimes.
Akali: Yeah, but whenever things got bleak, I just thought of you, how disappointed you'd be in me if I failed or gave up.
You smiled at that. You always were very harsh on her when you were a kid, but that was just because you knew how great she could be. You were probably more self-aware at that age than many other kids, and they thought you were a dick because of it.
Akali: God, I find it hilarious that you're still so stiff when you speak. You were born a few centuries too late.
Y/N: Yeah, about speaking. Why do you act like you're doing a bad imitation of a gangster?
Akali chuckled at that and started throwing her hands into weird shapes, making some gang sign, you assume.
Akali: I'm the rapper, Y/N. I gotta be the bad girl of the group. I gotta be the one the street kids look up to when we hit it big.
Y/N: Yeah, well. . . I hate it. It makes you seem dumb–you're not dumb. Hell, you're probably the smartest woman I know. I hate to see you dumbing down yourself to appeal to a specific demographic. Plus, don't you think it might be a little. . . insulting? Like wouldn't it be better to be able to rap and be the 'bad girl' but still be as intelligent and responsible as I know you are?
Akali twisted herself and fell on your lap, staring at you with a contemplative expression. It really did bother you that she was making herself look dumb just for appearance's sake. She was a top student throughout all of grade school. She actually tutored you in math during your last year of high school. She would come over after school every day to tutor you, or play games, or play music. . . or-
She leaned up and kissed you on the cheek, smiling.
Akali: I knew there was a reason I brought you along, writer boy. Now, settle in for a long ride. I want to listen to all of the obscure bands on this playlist of yours.