I'm living with them

Chapter 7: Long journey

One hour later, I closed the CEO office door. I never imagined and dreamed of a better solution. As my feet were leading me to the elevator, I saw Hong Joong with the members of ATEEZ. He ran towards me and asked me how it was.

« They offered me to stay with you as an help for your manager and as a nurse for you guys. They even called your families to know if it will be ok if I, a girl, can stay with you. All your mothers were glad that I can take good care of you... The only thing I « have to do in return » is to create content on social media for promoting ATEEZ internationally and teach you some english. »

I mechanically repeated what they told me without clearly understanding what that was going to imply. I stood in shock while the members surrounded me. They introduced themselves and promised they will clean the last spare room at their house for me. They use it as a storage room but it's a big room where I can stay.

21/01/2019
Two weeks after, I was at the airport with Sunny. She was finishing checking her luggage. Direction: New York. We were in advance so we sit with a coffee and we last spoke before long.

"- It's a relief for me that you you found a place to stay, she said, But with them ??? I'm REALLY surprised they allowed you to stay with eight young boys !!
- I know. Me too... I'm still shocked. I'm moving in this afternoon. I think Hong Joong insisted a lot and the fact that I'm a nurse had helped me in their decision. I hope it will be ok and no big problems will arrive.
- Just remember something. Something VERY important. DON'T BE TOO CLOSE to them when you're outside or on your future content, video or photo. You aren't korean so you can't even imagine. You will have to deal and pay attention to the sasaengs. Ateez isn't really big right now, but they will rise and with them, the sasaengs will be more numerous and intrusive. You will have a role to play with that as you are a help for their manager. Keep them away without adding fuel to the fire. Always pay attention to what you'll say, do, touch..."

I heard what my friend told me. But maybe she exagerate a little... There is a lot of K-pop groups that rise, shine and die everyday in Seoul. It's been 3 month since they started as rookies. I didn't think it would be as bad as my friend told me.

We huged for a long time as a voice called for her plane. We made a pinkie promise to keep in touch at least every month. I went out of the airport and took a taxi to our apartment, waiting for the the moving company I ordered. They packed all my things and put them in their truck. I was on my way for a new chapter in my life, again.

I arrived in front of a beautiful villa and saw Mr Kim. He told me that everyone were at a shooting and will come around 7 or 8:00pm. He gave me the keys of the house and make a quick tour with me. A large living room opened onto an beautiful kitchen on the ground floor. Next to it was a small room with two desks and computers. Maybe if they wanted to work... Ah. Right. They are kids. It's for online playing games. We went upstairs to see the rooms. There were four bedrooms for the boys and one for me at the end of the corridor. The first room I entered in was cleaned and tidied one one side and a little bit messier on the opposite side. On the tidy  side, there were Toothless plushies on the bed and on the other side, a lot of scribbled notebooks. The second room Mr Kim showed me has also two beds on each side of the room. On one of the beds, there were plenty of soft toys and a large bolster. On the other bed, a large Gryffindor-colored blanket was spread over it with a collection of "magic wands" on the nightstand. The third bedroom had three beds, two beds on the sides and one below the window. Next to the one on the left was a stack of old CDs of Korean singers and a beautiful guitar. Next to the one below the window, there were four drons on a shelf and a skateboard under the bed. And finally, on the nightstand of the last bed, there was the complete collection of BTS Funko Pop. All previous rooms had immaculate walls. But in the last room I entered, it was as if there were golden glitter on the walls as the sun shone through the window. A bunch of Forsythia branches was placed next to the bed. And lastly, my room. It was so big that I was able to buy myself a queen size bed, and I still had space for a big wardrobe.

After seeing all this, Mr Kim told me that my job here was to do all the chores (cleaning, meals, laundry...) and showed me the van I will drive when Ateez will have a schedule.

I closed the door and came back to my room. It was very big for all my belongings. I cleaned up some stuff and came back to the kitchen.

5:00pm. I opened the fridge to know what I will cook for 9 people.

I decided to prepare a Gujeolpan. They are "Kings" afterall ! As I washed all the ingredients I needed, I heard someone at the front door and came to the kitchen. A tall young man with dark hair approched the kitchen counter. He wore a black t-shirt with a "crush on you" lettering, a white shirt open over it and black jeans. Simple but classy.

"- Hello, he said, Remember me ? I'm Seonghwa. Is everything going well ?
- Hey hello Seonghwa ! Of course I remember you ! I'm sorry, I thought everybody will be back later...
- I hurried on purpose. I knew our new "roommate" was going to arrive this afternoon so I left KQ early to welcome you Manon, he said with a beautiful smile.
- Thank you, I said smiling back, and if you want you can call me Ma-Tcha like Hong Joong or Noona. As you want !
- Great, so... he paused, Noona ? Can I help you ?
- Yeah, can you help me cut the vegetables? Please ?"

As I was putting all the plates on the table with Seonghwa, we heard the other members of Ateez coming back home.

" Good evening everyone, I'm your new roommate, housekeeper, cook, nurse or just your new friend, I said bowing. You can take a shower and come back, dinner is ready !"

They came back one by one in their homewear and sat on the table.

"- What have you prepared ? It's smelling good ! Mingi said with his smiling crescent eyes.
- There is some rice and kimchi and I prepared a Gujeolpan. I think it represent you well.
- What do you mean ? Yeosang asked tilting his head to the side.
- I saw this recipe in a chronicle called « royal cuisine ». What the Kings of Korea used to eat, and you are « pirate kings » right ? Also, there are eight different plates around one in the middle for the pancakes. You introduce yourself with the phrase « 8 makes 1 team »? As all the eight of you makes one team, with all the eight ingredients, you'll make one dish. »

Hong Joong sat next to me and smiled with sparkles in his eyes.« Thank you Ma-Tcha, nothing could be better than this explanation ! And it looks delicious ! » The dinner went very well and even those who didn't like eating too much vegetables did my dish justice... While I was cleaning the dishes, Wooyoung came and wiped the glasses.
« - You know, if I wasn't in Ateez, I would love to be a Korean chef. Your dish, it was really good but you also made the dish your own and found a meaning to attach to our group. King cuisine for eight kings... I love that !
- Thank you, I said, blushing. It's my way for thanking you for welcoming me in your house. I'm not Korean, I'm a girl and I'm older. There's a lot of things to accept and you are all very kind with me... Gomawo !! »

When I finished cleaning the kitchen and the dinning table, they were on the sofa and chairs looking at a film. I said goodnight to everyone. I had a big schedule waiting for me the day after, before they get up. As I was leading to my room, someone went out the 2nd bedroom.
« - Ah ! Right ! The plushies side ! I said, smiling. San looked down, a little embarrassed.
- Yeah... I know, I'm still a kid, I can't sleep without holding something...
- It's ok, I giggled, giving him a little tap on his shoulder. I also have a bunch of plushies and even a big Toothless one in my room ! »

Few seconds of gap during which we looked each other in the eyes, smile on both faces. « You were going to bed? I nodded. So goodnight. Thank you for being part of our lives and please take good care of all of us. » While saying that, he took my hand in his and kissed it with a cute bow.

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