roses | kim woosung

t w e n t y - o n e

"are you going to tell them?" i ask sammy. "tell who what?" sammy asks. "that jae literally invited everyone to south korea! so that the rose could debut-"

"that's not official yet. we still have to talk things through." he says. "but you can at least tell them and let them know. besides, they are your band and you do lead them." i say.

"and i will tell them, chaeyeong. give it time." he says, putting on his sweater. "ready to see wonho?" he asks me, as i nearly slide across the floor.

"i have no choice." i say, grabbing my portable charger and leave with sammy.

"everyone's all ready to go?" i ask. "we're waiting for dylan to get here. so the plan is to have the party now and then go to the concert?" leo asks.

"yes." i say, sitting down at the table. "what about the cake?" jia asks. "it's at the store but before we go to the concert we're going to have cake. everything is thankfully walking distance so we don't have to worry." i say.

"you're such a good party planner! can you plan my parties?" olivia asks. "didn't your birthday pass?" i ask. "yeah but it's not my fault you went to disney with your boyfriend over there." she says. "i still bought you something!" i say.

"i'll give you that." she says. "is everything okay with sammy?" jia asks me. "yeah, why wouldn't things be?" i ask. "he hasn't said a word." she says. "he's fine." i say. "check on him though. it'll satisfy me." jia says, as i get up and check up on sammy.

"everything okay?" i ask. "yeah." he says, wrapping his arm around me. "you sure? you look a bit worried." i say. "come." he says, taking my hand and taking me into the nearest room.

"i'm nervous, chaeyeong. what if things don't work out in south korea?" he asks. "it's jae that's helping you and he knows a thing or two. i'm sure things will work out. maybe you'll even dominate the big kpop groups in the future. that's why i'm encouraging you to take the opportunity: so that we'll all be together and you'll always have the dream you wanted. you guys are already a band and you've done training here. i know it's scary and it's such a big step for all of us, and you know what it will be hard. but at the end of the day it isn't something to dwell over. think of this as a new beginning and you're starting from day one. a clean slate. an empty book with you being the writer and filling in the chapters along the way. an empty page where you're the artist and you have to fill in every nook and cranny. you see where i'm going with this?" i ask.

"i get it. but what about you girls? what will you guys do?" sammy asks. "don't worry about us. this is your future-"

"and i'm pretty sure all of us want all of you along that journey." sammy says. "a while ago i remember jia saying she's manager and i'm stylist. it wasn't official but if we could come up with a good resumé then i think we could pull it off." i say. "what about olivia and wendy?" he asks

"wendy's good with computers so she could be your producer. and olivia... well she is a good dancer but i don't think she could be your choreographer." i say. "she could be a co-producer! or a co-manager. maybe let us know if we have any concerts coming up and arrange those things-"

"you know what, that's not a bad idea. except all this won't happen if you keep such a big secret like this." i say. "and you could convince the girls?" he asks. "i can try but i can't make any promises." i say, exiting the room and joining everyone else.

"dylan, wendy! you guys made it!" i say, hugging them hello. "happy birthday!" i say to dylan, as he thanks me and greets everyone else. "is everything okay with sammy?" jia asks me. "what happened? what did you do? what's wrong with him?" wendy asks.

"nothing, calm down. it's nothing. wait no that's a lie, it is something, something that's rather important and i need you guys to listen." i say.