If I hadn't met you...

1.

~Kirsty's pov

Hi, my name's Jang Chaehyun, though I go by Kirsty Jang too, I applied for HYBE's global audition some months ago with vocal and dance, though I think my strong suit is dance, I uploaded it to my YouTube channel, JjangJjang02 (Go check it out, like and subscribe if you want!), and, bam! A few weeks later they contacted me saying that I got in the first round and for the second round I had to fly to Korea(I live in the US, San Diego, CA, BTW), which took loads of time to convince my mom, she still thinks I am completely unprepared and too young for this journey(spoiler alert: I am about to turn 20 in about 6 months), but surprisingly enough she supports my desire to be an idol, I was prepared to fight tooth and nail for it...I mean, I heard stories on and off the Internet of people not being supported either economically or emotionally for their dream of becoming a Kpop star, so you can understand why I was worried, but luckily that wasn't the case for me.

Anyway, after A LOT of convincing she finally let me go and some days later I was on a plane to South Korea buzzing with excitement but also worried that I couldn't make it past the second round, it was a bittersweet feeling... Then I realized. If I were not to make it, what will I do? Will I survive in a world and a culture I essentially do not know of?

With those questions still buzzing in my head I slowly fell asleep, but at some point of my snooze I felt a gentle tap on the shoulder, I opened my eyes visibly irritated by this and ready to curse at whoever had done the deed, then I saw two brown eyes, red lipstick and a two-piece suit of an indefinite colour. It was a hostess. As soon as I realized this I put on one of my best and most used smiles, of the "Screw you politely" kind as the hostess lady repeated her announcement: Ma'am, the plane has landed. I looked around and saw that there were only a few people, sparsely, gathering their stuff, and some were already heading out, so I nodded curtly at the hostess lady in my post-nap daze and got up to finally collect my stuff and walk out with a suitcase, a backpack and a satchel.

At last I was out of the airport and in the never-stopping stream of faces and bodies, I managed to find a way to get through it and I ended up on the sidewalk, on the other side, facing the modern-style facade of the airport. I kept on walking confidently straight in front of me even though I didn't have the slightest idea on where the hell I was supposed to go. I bumped into a couple of people and bowed profusely at them, saying it was my fault, though I knew clearly it was theirs, but I didn't want to start a fight, I got a couple of catcalls from some drunk men that were loitering on the side of the road, not that I hate attention but they were kinda overstepping the mark, so I just walked on until I lost them in the crowd. I whipped my phone out and checked the email that HYBE sent me.

To: jangchaehyun@gmail.com
From: HYBE Entertainment

Dear applicant Jang Chaehyun,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted in the second round of auditions that will be held in Korea on the 9th of this month, please be at the HYBE building, in Yeongsan-do, at 10am sharp.
Kind regards,
HYBE Entertainment

I asked around for a bit in my elementary school-level Korean, and got results that were helpful as getting none at all, but after a bit more of asking I was successful.
I mustered all the courage I could find for the umpteenth time and walked up to a celebrity-looking, intimidatingly pretty young woman.

"U-um, e-excuse me, miss? Do you know where this is?" I muttered as I held out my phone, pointing at the location written on it.

"Hmm, what is it?" Her long silky hair moving like a waterfall as she turned to consider my question.

"Oh! I know where it is! My friend lives nearby!" Her cat-like eyes lit up as she looked back at me with a slight smile, implying something conspiratorial between us, when there was nothing at all, yet.