A/N: You might be asking yourself why I am posting when it's technically still October, and I said I would be taking this month off to just relax and hopefully play catch up. Well, when I posted Chapter 20 I realized how close I was to reaching 300 votes for this story. So, I went ahead and proofread Chapter 21 expecting to post it once I did. I will admit that I was sort of hoping to be able to post Chapter 21 and 22 together simply because they go together. Perhaps, I will start proofreading Chapter 22 so I can have it up by either Friday or Saturday. I don't think I can personally make you all have to wait until the first week in November to receive that update. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was so fun to write it!
Posted 10/12/22
3194 words
Once again, they won't let me lift a finger to help clean up. I know that they are trying to be endearingly chivalrous though; so instead of making a big fuss about it I let it go, but I know once we do live together if it keeps happening it will eventually grow to irritate the crap out of me. Hell, I'll probably end up appreciating it greatly when it comes to the week of my period, though. I'm especially thankful that I had it recently, just because it would take another month before I would experience their care during that time of the month. Hopefully I got over my immense mortification regarding the subject due to how Gamon already addressed that particular topic of conversation last night. If they all handle it as maturely as he did I am sure it will probably no longer be embarrassing at all. Heck, I will probably relish in any and all pampering that would take place.
Once the dishes are done we all regroup in the living room. "So, you mentioned a game?"
Minsook nods with a sly smile. "I thought maybe we could play 'Two Truths and a Lie.' Although, most of us know each other's truths so it would probably be best if only you tried to figure ours out."
I nod my head in agreement before thinking to myself. Well, at least it's not 'Truth or Dare.' They would have probably all targeted me if that were the case, and there would be only so many times I could say truth before they would end up insisting I try a dare. I kind of always ignored the dares in the few games I had played before now.
"How are we going to determine an order?" I find myself asking.
They all look around. "Rock, paper, scissors?"
I groan mentally in my head. I've never been good at this game. I never know what to throw, but I humor them nonetheless. It takes a few minutes to get through the game, but luckily I don't end up having to go first. I am going third instead, so practically the middle. I'm honestly pretty relieved about it.
Gamon is going first. I turn to him while he thinks about what he wants to say. "Number one. While Thai is my native language, I learned English before I learned Korean. Number two. Along with those three languages I'm also proficient and practically fluent in Mandarin, Japanese, Hindustani, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Number three: I've known Pêe Mengrai since we were only ten years old."
Huh. Well, I can tell he's intelligent so the first two sound like they might both be correct, but the camaraderie between him and Mengrai seemed to likely have a solid foundation. Like they have known each other for years. Did that mean it went as far back as only ten years old though? Or did he try to confuse me with the second language comment? Did he add languages to it? I feel like that fact would have been reported on one of those fan made profile pages.
I consider them all once again before I answer. "I'm going to guess that the second one is only partially true. That you do know other languages outside of those listed in the first truth, but not as many as you tried to trick me into believing."
He smiles at me warmly. "Correct. I can speak Mandarin and Japanese in addition to Thai, Korean, and English, but I don't know the other four at all."
I turn to Jaeyeon since it's his turn now. He takes a minute to also think about his truths he wants to share, and the lie he wants to make up. I would have thought the others would make up each of theirs beforehand, but I am thankful that I won't end up being the only one to try to think of something on the fly. At least we aren't suggesting a time limit for this. "Number one. I only started writing songs after I became a member of the group. Number two. I love a lot of different music, but I am exceptionally fond of crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, and even Michael Bublé. Despite the fact that he is a more modern definition of the genre. Number three. I still have the football that I scored my very first goal with." I mentally remind myself that when he said football he meant it in the worldwide sense, not the American football sense. It will take some time for me to immediately transpose football and soccer.
I take a few moments to deliberate over his "truths." Hm. I can see the first one being true. The second one had a lot of detail, but he only really named the more popular crooners. He didn't name Bobby Darin, Perry Como, or Vic Damone. Of course I only know those names because my dad loved crooners too. If that's one of his truths, my father would have adored Jaeyeon. He probably would have introduced him also to the others if he hadn't heard of them before. The last statement could also be true though. I would think it would be hard to keep track of such a keepsake for so long, not to mention the fact that there would be other players on his team that might want it also.
"I think I am going to guess that you don't still have your football from the first game you ever scored a goal playing." I kind of force myself to say football even though it is kind of ingrained in me to say soccer. I prefer watching soccer in the long run so it shouldn't be too much of a travesty to start calling it something else. After all, once my paperwork goes completely through at the American Embassy I will be an official South Korean citizen.
He makes a buzzing sound, which I can't help but laugh out loud at. He smiles at me. "I've been writing songs and stories since I was in Primary school."
"Primary school?" I repeat. "I'm guessing the school system is different here than in the United States." It's uncanny all these things that keep cropping up that I hadn't considered before now.
"Why don't you explain the school system you know first. Then we can try to help you make comparisons." Jaeyeon offers.
"Well first there's Preschool, although it's not required. A lot of children go to preschool around three or four years old." I offer up this explanation.
Jaeyeon nods. "That is similar to Nursery School for us, although the kids start attending as early as possible. So from one to four years old."
I don't completely understand the aging system yet, but I do know that is more likely to mean that they are zero to three years old in the age I am more familiar with. "That's really early." I comment before continuing. "Elementary school starts after that at age five. Kindergarten through fifth or sixth grade, depending upon the school."
"Ah, Kindergarten is part of what we call Infant School, which also includes Nursery School. Kindergarten is from ages five to seven." He explains.
That would be ages four to six. So, not too different really. I honestly think it makes more sense to keep the kindergarteners at a different school for a bit longer.
"Primary School is first through sixth grade." He continues.
Oh, so Primary School is the equivalent of Elementary school then. "So, the next level of education in the United States depends upon if the Elementary School ended at fifth or sixth grade. If it was fifth, and the next school started at sixth grade it would be called Middle School. If it starts at seventh grade instead it would be called Junior High School. Both schools go up to eighth grade."
He nods his head. "Ours is called Middle School and it goes from seventh grade up to ninth grade."
"High School can sound tricky if I explain it differently; we tend to discard the number names at this level and instead have a name for each year. In order to simplify it, number wise it's ninth through twelfth grades." I didn't really think about how difficult it might be to try to go through each grade name until I started to share the information. I'm pretty sure they would have found Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior difficult to follow.
"Our high school system is similar, only it's tenth through twelfth grades." Jaeyeon admits.
I smile and nod. "Then I am assuming the next for both of us is tertiary education, or college for both of our countries."
He nods then reminds me by whispering. "It's your turn, Lily."
"Oh. Shoot. It is. Give me a second to think of what I want to share." I scan over each of their faces as each of them smile and nod back at me. The easiest way to lie is to share something that has as much truth to it as possible. I mentally remind myself as I consider what I want to say.
"Number one. I'm terrified of the idea of my new job, and I fear that I will end up making several huge mistakes along the way. Number two. Before flying here to South Korea I have only been on one other flight. It was with my high school friends for Spring Break. We went to Florida. Number three. I don't and will never ever plan on singing in public." I sit back and watch them all think.
"I don't think it's the first one. I think anyone that wasn't familiar with that type of job would be scared of it. Don't worry though, we will do our best to ensure you won't fail." Gamon touches the top of my hand, and my skin warms underneath his palm. I don't smile back though. I don't want to give anything away yet.
Juah nods his head. "I agree. I think it's either the second or the third."
Minsook keenly studies my face, and I can only hope that my 'poker face' doesn't drop. "She looks like she would have a beautiful voice. I am sure she has sung in public at some point in time." I don't break my expression as much as I want to smile. He hasn't officially guessed yet, and we already decided that each one of them would have to guess separately. The thinking out loud was a slightly unfair advantage they had over me, but I could easily get over something so simple.
Jiseong shakes his head. "Something tells me it's not the second one. She has to have been on more flights than that."
Jaeyeon subtly shakes his head, but luckily Jiseong doesn't catch his movement.
"What are each of your guesses?" I ask them after they each have had some time to think it over.
"I think it's the third. I feel like you have to have sung in public at least once in your lifetime." Gamon chooses.
"For some reason I want to go with the second one. I don't think she had money to go on this supposed Spring Break trip she was talking about." Juah suggests as his answer.
Jaeyeon turns toward his twin. "I think I agree, for the same reason even."
Minsook shakes his head. "I still want to say it's three. I think she has to have a lovely voice, and that she wouldn't tuck that away."
Jiseong looks at each of his hyungs before answering. "I don't know which one it is. I am starting to wonder if perhaps you worded the first one slightly wrong for it to appear as a white lie. That while you are scared, you aren't as terrified as you admitted."
I shake my head. "Juah and Jaeyeon got it right. Before my trip here I had never been on an airplane at all."
"You took such a long flight by yourself, and it was your very first one?!?!" Jiseong exclaims.
I nod my head. "I had to get here somehow, and I wasn't about to let my friend Raina join me just to have to turn around and fly back to Chicago a few days later. If you had a concert at that time it would have been different."
"Once again, I plan on doing something to repay her in the future." Gamon offers once more, and I smile at the idea of it. The others all nod their heads in silent agreement.
"So, that means it is Minsook's turn." I pivot in his direction.
He gives me an impish smile. Since it was his suggestion to play I am unsurprised that he doesn't hesitate to start in on his. "Number one. Regarding my acting career I have been in two movies and three dramas. Number two. In addition to needles I am also scared of insects. I'm allergic to bees, so I freak out when any flying bug comes anywhere near me. Number three: I have been featured on five different magazine covers for promotions outside of those we have done for group promotions or publicity."
I doubt that he is scared of insects in addition to needles, but it would make some sense if he was allergic to have that fear also. Should he ever get stung he would have to have an Epipen administered, and that's just another kind of needle.
The first is highly likely to be true. I wish I could say that I looked up his acting credits as well as some group facts, but there was so much information to go through for him specifically I decided to let myself learn more about him naturally instead.
Regarding the third, I don't know. Five seems like a pretty high number to me, but they are pretty popular so it would make sense to seek him out for a lot of photo shoot opportunities.
"I think I am going to go with the first one. You aren't scared of insects or allergic to bees."
Instead of answering me he hands me a leather pouch that he must have hidden somewhere behind his back. "Open it."
I do, and I'm surprised to find an Epipen within it. "Wait, is that part of the reason you are scared of needles? Because you have had to have them administered when you were stung before? Because you didn't have control in those moments in particular?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "Possibly. My parents discovered I was allergic pretty early on, and being allergic to bees took away a lot of the playtime I had outside during Spring and Summer. I guess you could say that I resent needles as much as I am scared of them. Same goes for insects I suppose."
"Wait. So which one was the lie then?" I nearly forgot the purpose of the game.
"I haven't been in a movie yet, and I have been casted in three separate dramas, but only one of them actually ended up airing. One of the projects lost its funding, while the other had been denied by the channel that originally produced it once the project was finished. I do have some recordings of the projects that didn't get aired if you ever want to see them." I nod my head, because I would love to see him act sometime. I haven't even watched the one drama that aired yet.
"I guess that means it's my turn." Juah almost sounds reluctant, but I would hope he would just bow out if he didn't want to play. Perhaps he realized that the reward of getting to know each other better outweighed the risk of having to be so open like this to begin with.
"Number one. I might love to cook, but I hate dealing with raw chicken. Number two. I can't stand the taste of any alcohol. It all tastes gross to me. Number three. I almost wasn't selected to join the company."
Suddenly I feel almost overly emotionally. I really don't want it to be the third, but something tells me that particular statement is true. If I'm right about that I will reserve a chance to talk about it with him some other time. I consider the other two carefully, and decide on the one that makes the most sense to me. "I'd say the lie is the one about dealing with raw chicken."
He shakes his head. "No, I truly do hate it. I have to wear a pair of gloves to handle them at all. Sometimes I just cook the chicken first and cut it up after instead of having to deal with it raw."
"So, the lie was?" I still hope that I'm wrong. That it's number three that was the lie.
"I'm a sucker for a good stiff drink, and I adore wine." He attempts a smirk, but I can see the emotions he is trying his best to hide.
He almost wasn't selected to join the company let alone the group? I can't dwell on this now when we are supposed to be having fun, but I will definitely remember to ask him about it sometime later.
"My turn!" Jiseong exclaims excitedly. I think he is just trying to liven up everyone's spirits after that round, and I appreciate it. I glance at Juah once more before pivoting to the maknae. "Number one. I didn't intend to become an Idol. I only tried out at the cattle call on a whim. I went with my friend who was excited at the prospect, but he didn't end up getting selected. Number two. Although Minsook is the main dancer of the group, I'm the one who is the most flexible. Number three. I originally gave up playing the piano after only my first few lessons. I didn't pick it back up until my original tutor was replaced by someone more patient and kind."
Okay, so the maknae is surprisingly the best at lying. That shocks me a lot. Everything he shared sounds like both a potential truth and a lie at the same time. I think it is the way he practically tells a story with each one. "Um. Number two is the lie."
He looks over at Minsook. His eyes glint, forecasting the challenge he is implementing. They both get up and take a few steps away. Minsook mutters something about being glad they are in pajamas for this. I turn around since they are getting set up behind me. Side by side they each do the splits, and I am amazed at how low both of them can get to begin with, but it's Jiseong that is able to actually fully touch the ground.
He gets back up and smiles down at me. "I didn't go to the cattle call on a whim. I knew I wanted to be an Idol. I dreamt about it a lot actually, ever since my very first failed piano lesson. Maybe even before that."
You can find links to the resources I used to write this chapter here.