Previously: On the plane, I opened the envelope and it revealed to be a letter.
Dear Jina Unni,
Although there's a small possibility that you'll read this, I still had to write it. I just wanted you to know that you are an inspiration to me. Although you barely revealed yourself to the world, I was inspired by you. Ever since I watched the Beatles Code broadcast where you revealed your choice to pursue music despite studying Neurology, it made me realize something important about myself. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a singer. I wanted to sing and compose music. But my parents never allowed me to, they pressured me to go to college and become a surgeon despite my interest. I am currently in my last year of high school and preparing to take the college entrance exam. After the broadcast, I finally realized what I wanted to do and decided to attend an audition. My parents were madly fruriated, but I fought long and hard. Eventually they gave up and accepted it. I wanted to say 'thank you.' I might be one of thousands of letters, but at least there's a chance for you to read it. I was never a fan of SNSD, but I am now. I will be sure to keep following you throughout your career and hope for the best! Best of luck Unnie!
Your dearest fan.
I held the letter close to my chest and my heart was warmer than siting in front of a fireplace during a cold, frosty blizzard. It was one letter, but it has made my day all the better.
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-Jina's POV-
New York City was everything that I imagined it would be. The bustling streets full of people, high-end fashion shops, to cabon dioxide from cars polluting the atmosphere. Arriving at an airport in January in New York City is very unpleasant. I shuffled around my bag for an extra beanie and gum.
"It's so f*cking cold." Jessica blurted in English. Me and Tiffany unni turned, it was only then that it actually hit us that we were in a foreign country where we can't curse in English and get away with it anymore. Three separate vans were already waiting for us by the time we exit out of the doors. I was shocked to she Mary, my assistant, come out holding two cups of Starbucks coffee.
"Since when did you get here?" I asked.
"I arrived a day before you. Coffee?"
"Thanks."
We settled into the vans and drove off to the hotel where we would stay for the next three days. During the ride, I ate another chocolate biscuit. I'm actually here. We're actually here. I glanced out of the windows and onto the streets of NY, they were the people I were so familiar with, blondes, brunettes, blonde handsome business men in suits lining up for a morning coffee, and groups of teenage girls hitting the mall with their friends. This was the american Life that I missed. Even though I have never been to NY, somehow it felt home.
The fans gave a surprise gift to SNSD. As soon as we arrived to our hotel entrance, fans were gathered in small mini crowds chanting, "Bring the boys out!" Security guards were in the back doing their best to control the crowd. My van was the 2nd to arrive at the doors. As our manager oppa opened the door, me and Yuri unni stepped out, which sets off more screams. We linked our arms and walked in like BFFS. It turns out that S.M booked us into a 5-star hotel. However they weren't wealthy enough to afford separate rooms for ten girls and a few staff members. So I ended up sharing a room with Seohyun.
Placing my purse and bags onto the chairs, I immediately jumped into the sheets as soon as they unlocked the doors.
"You look like a five year old who just got her first room." Seohyun snorted.
"I don't care. I feel like it's been forever since I last got a chance to breathe."
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Seohyun ordered,
It was Seohyun's assistant. She came in with a few bags of snacks along carrying a large guitar case.
"Can't you put it near the T.V?" Seohyun asked.
The assistant nodded and immediately set it beside the T.V. She excused herself and closed the room. Seohyun opened the guitar case which revealed to be holding an acoustic guitar. She took a towel and ripped off any visible dirt. At an instant, I knew who the owner of the guitar was.
Teasingly, I creeped up to her. "Is that your guitar?" It was almost the same as teasing your best friend as soon as you find out that she has a crush.
Seohyun shyly smiled and nodded her head, "Yeah."
"Are you sure?"
"What do you mean are you sure?"
I smiled, devilishly might I add. "Is there any chance that it could be someone else's?"
"W-what do you mean?" Seohyun quickly denied, "Of course it's mine." To think that there was someone worse at lying than I am.
"Seohyun, I'm not dumb. I watched We Got Married. It's cleary Yonghwa's." (Author: says Jina, the girl who never had a boyfriend lol.)
Seohyun's checks grew bright red. She struggled to say a comeback.
"A-ha! I'm right!"
"Shush!!! Keep your voice down!"
"What? Everyone knows that he gave you the guitar. You broadcasted it."
"Yeah, but they don't know that I actually kept it."
"Why? It's a gift. Of course you would keep it, it's rude to throw it away."
Seohyun sighed. She carefully placed the guitar onto the case and sat on her bed. "Originally the producers of the show told me that if I didn't want it, I could give it back to him."
"But you did want it." I commented.
Seohyun didn't answer. Her silence was her answer. I asked again, "You've fallen for him. Haven't you?"
Seohyun tried to refute it but failed. She takes a deep breath, "There's no point in lying is there?"
"Don't be ashamed. Everyone falls in love."
"But I am. I'm afraid that it won't be reciprocated. Not that I'm expecting for it anyways." She turned to me and grabbed my shoulders in a pleading manner, "Jina, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Not even the members."
"Why not? Why not let them know?"
"You knowing was not part of the plan. Knowing the members for more than five years, they will tease me and next thing you know, they'll make thing obivous whenever they see Yonghwa around."
I rolled my eyes in a not-a-rude way and promised her. Seohyun smiled and went back to unpack her stuff. Just as she stood up, my phone beamed with a text message.
It reads, 'Any progress?'
It was Wooyun. What a headache.
"Who's that?" I was shaken off the ground as Seohyun creeped behind my shoulders.
"Gosh! you scared me!"
"My bad. Who's Woohyun?"
"No one. Just a friend." I quickly answered.
Seohyun glared at me, "Spill it Jina. I spilled my beans and now is your turn."
I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Fine, I'll tell you. He's the most annoying guy you'll ever meet."
"Who is he? Is he an Idol?"
I nod.
"Okay, now I have to know. Tell me."
And so I told her about the whole bracelet fiasco, our little 'deal', and the whole incident at the evening party event for the hundredth time. Seohyun covered her mouth with both hands, in shock. "Omo, you cannot let him do that to you!"
"Even if I refused, he still has the bracelet. What else can I do?"
"You have to report it to the police. That's basically thief!"
"And what? Cause a scandal? Publicity?"
"Oh that's right." She took time to think, "What about reporting it to both our agencies?"
"You really think S.M and his company is actually going to take the time to settle with each other over a little bracelet? That's highly unlikely."
"Then what are you going to do? Are you just going to let him control you forever?"
"I don't know but I'll find a way." I grin, "But I know a good way to mess with him."
Eager to know, Seohyun excitedly sat onto the bed. "What is it?"
I grabbed my phone and typed in English, 'I'm in NY. So please do not contact me or you will pay the phone bill. And also..... fuck off.'
Send.
I smiled, "He can translate that."
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- No one's POV-
"Your cooking is the best linda. It's worth driving an extra mile to your restaurant to taste your food."
"It's a pleasure to serve you. Come back anytime!"
"I definitely will!"
The satisfied costumer waved goodbye and excitedly exited the restaurant. Linda immediately pushes the cart over to the dirty table. At the same time, one of her employees interrupts, "Let me."
Linda walked behind the counter and counted the money from the cash register. "Here, thank you for the work you guys did today. I wouldn't have done it without you."
The employees smiled and accepted the money. Soon it was only her and her chef in the building. She took a wet towel and ripped the remaining tables. As she ripped, the chef emerged from the kitchen was grease and food stain over his white apron.
"It was quite a busy day today." He commented.
"Yeah, we do what we have to do to earn a living. You can go first."
"No way, you know I have to stay and wait for the David Letterman show to air."
"Of course, you are indeed a David Letterman's fan. I'll give you the keys to lock up. I need to go home, got a pile of chores stacking up at home." She unties her apron and proceeds to the employees room. As she emerges back to the restaurant, she finds her chef already sitting in the chairs with her arms crossed, carefully glaring at the screen.
From the screen, loud claps can be heard and soon David speaks into the audience, 'Our next guest is a very popular group from South Korea who just released their first album in America, it's entitled The Boys. Please welcome their network television debut, Girls' Generation."
"Hey Linda, aren't you korean?" The chef joked.
"I'm glad you paid attention." She refuted jokingly.
Soon the screen panned to ten girls in dark black clothing, ready to preform. Music started escaping the speakers and the singers started to sing. In a second, the chef leaned forward and squinted his eyes to get a better view, "Hey, I think that's Jina over there."
Linda snorted, "Yeah right. That was a good joke Tilly." In reality, she was used to his humor, "Good one."
"No, I'm serious."
"Don't be ridiculous. Jina is all the way in South Korean studying for a medical degree. I'm sorry but your eyes have fooled this time Tilly."
"Oh for god's sake, will you please just glance at the T.V?"
Linda snorted as she tucked away left over papers from the counter. Surely her niece is definitely not in NY. She was in south Korea, studying hard in college. That's was what she reassured for herself until she finally glanced at the screen........
No.... It couldn't be. Linda thought.
'"Not a fantasy, this is right for me. Living'it like a star."
There was her niece, singing and dancing. Linda was stroken for the loss of words, shocked. She slowly let the papers slip off her hands and walked closer to the screen, "It can be.. no.. it's impossible. She can't be..."
"I hardly recognized her. She's like a different person with makeup on." The chef stated when he met Linda's glare, "Looks like she's got some explaining to do."
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-Jina's POV-
I ws standing in front of an audience, we all were. Full of excitement and anxiety. The bright light and flashes from cameras temporarily blinded my vision. I held my microphone with my sweaty hands, my feet were covered with goosebumps, and I felt like couldn't breathe enough oxygen. Next to us were Kelly and an older gentleman. Kelly was a blonde white woman, very petite, almost the same height as me with heels.
"Do you guys start out as dancers most or singers first?"
The attention were soon given to Tiffany , Jessica, and me in the middle. I stayed silent, caught off guard. As selfish as it might seem, I didn't feel like answering so Jessica and tiffany ended doing it.
"We trained for everything, dancing, singing."Jessica answered and we nodded.
After the show session, SNSD stayed backstage getting ready to leave. The members temporarily went out to explore the set while I stayed behind the dressing room along with Mary, my assistant.
As she packed up my makeup, she bore a soft smile. She always does no matter what, sometimes it even creeps me. No person can possibly be that happy 24/7 can they?
"You did great out there." She complimented. "I can't imagine dancing in front of an audience, let alone T.V."
"I froze up there. I knew that I should've answered the question but I didn't know what happened, I just hesitated. My legs felt weak."
Mary smiled and went back to reorganizing, "I'll be back, I need to get a towel." She steps out of the room, leaving me alone.
Ring. Ring.
Mary had left her cell phone on the table. I leaned over to peak at the caller name, David. (Not David Letterman) I let it go to voice mail until he rings her again the second time. I never liked intruding in other people's businesses, but if he knew Mary was busy he probably wouldn't blame her for not answering.
I picked up the phone, "Hello?"
There was a deep, raspy voice with a thick philipinno accent. From the speakers, I could tell that he was breathing very heavily. "Who is this?" He asks.
I'd be dumb to say my name. "Mary's friend. Sorry but she is busy right now."
He summered something to himself that I couldn't hear him clearly, "that b*tch, always busy with something is she?"
My eyes grew to fury and my fists circled up into handballs with so much pressure that my knuckles can be heard. But I refrained myself, "Excuse me? What did you call her? And who the heck are you?"
"None of your business. Tell her to get on the phone right now."
"I told you that she can't right now so accept it. You're not the boss of her and you certainly cannot treat her like that. You can call back later when she's not busy. Goodbye." I hung up as I was too infuriated with rage. Jerk. I can't believe that there are men in this world that believes they can just order women around.
The doors opens and Mary emerges with a towel in her hand, "What happened?"
"your phone rang."
"Really? who called?"
"A man named David."
Mary's expression grew distorted, "No." She hurried to the table and checked her phone. She panics as she dials him and went to voicemail. "He must be mad. What am I going to do?"
"Who is he? Why was he being so rude?"
"He's my boyfriend from the Philippines." Her face were filled with anxiety as she redials the call, "He must need me if he calls. Come on David pick up."
Guilt took control over me, I pushed to far into her private life. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. Is he okay?"
"It's okay. I know he has a bit of a temperament and I apologize on his behalf."
"That's fine, you don't have to do that." I assured her. I sigh and give her a sympathetic glance, "But it still doesn't make it okay for him to treat you like that. You have to tell him and stand up to him."
The call went to voicemail and Mary's expression was filled with desperation. She stared at the wall for a moment, sighed, and glanced at me as if I was a unexperienced little sheep, giving me a soft smile, "Have you ever been in love before?"
I was taken by surprise and my breathe stopped, "Why would you ask that?"
She flashes me a friendly smile, "Have you?"
I stood there with a clueless face, shocked with the subject change. "No." I regained my posture, "I haven't."
She smiled and proceeded to clean up the makeup counter, "It doesn't matter how you get treated when you love someone. David has been there for me since we were kids and I want to be there for him." She looks at me, "It doesn't matter if the world is against you. Once you find a person who you truly love, that person will be all that matters."
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MESSAGE FROM AUTHOR: Sorry for the late update guys. I have been busy with my work lately. I serious, school has been beating me with tons of exams and projects that I sometimes get nightmares about it. I figured I would end this part here. Sorry that it was uneventful but stayed tuned for the next, I guarantee you that there will be some drama. Pinky swear.
Just for a preview: get ready for an dramatic confrontation!