I was greeted by an extremely familiar face when I arrived for dinner. I swear I did not hear a soul enter the house while upstairs. I blame myself for being overly-smitten with my Kyuhuyn. Where have I seen this middle-aged lady with permed hair before? Perhaps she's one of the extras on some soapie or a member of an audience who was given more screentime than she was allowed?
"Ah! About time Cana!" my mum came in and set a plate of greens on the table before joining us on the table "Aren't you going to greet Mrs Chae? Or have you forgotten about her already?"
"CHAE AJUMMA!" my look of confusion turned into one of extreme excitement as I leaped into her outstretched arms. I knew she looked familiar somehow! She is no other than my favourite former-next door neighbour. I remember how she always makes the best chocolate-chipped cookies in the world and taught me how to address her as 'Ajumma'. A few years ago she had to move back to her residence in Korea when her family had faced some citizenship issues, I can't believe she's actually back now! With a new perm too! She used to tell me all the time how I remind her of her son, and how much she misses him after getting divorced.
"So Cana, I've noticed that K-Pop had gotten very popular around the world these years," Ajumma spoke up "are you into any of that stuff? I heard from your mother you really liked Super Junior, I'm not too surprised." I looked up from my food which I gratefully dug into and gaped at her. Mum was preparing some fruit in the kitchen as Chae Ajumma and I ate in silence. There was a pregnant pause, I nodded.
"Well isn't that funny, I happen to know someone who works in that industry; he maybe able to help you with getting a signature or merchandise or something. Do you want to give you his IM?" Am I dreaming? I love Chae Ajumma and all that but her gesture is just... too kind? There has to be some kind of trick involved...
"Um... isn't it slightly weird talking to some middle-aged man over instant messaging? Not to mention creepy..." I couldn't help but blurt out. Better safe than sorry.
Chae Ajumma laughed for a full ten seconds while I tensed my expression. "Oh you silly" she wiped a tear from her eye before continuing "He's no more than 18!"
I flushed red, well that was embarassing. Here I am imagining myself talking to a middle aged man online when said person is probably a year or so older than me. I stared at the IM address Chae Ajumma kindly wrote down for me, not knowing what to do next.
...
I can hear continuous chatter coming form downstairs about topics from familial complaints to places once travelled. Something still puzzled me... How can someone so young get in behind the scenes in the Kpop industry? What kind of job would they give a high-school kid anyway... The toilet cleaner?
"Whatever..." I took a deep breath and logged onto my IM account "Anything for my Kyuhyun... ANYTHING!" it didn't get long to get through all the add-a-contact mumbo jumbo. To my surprise however... the other end accepted my request quite... instantaneously. Well, what did they say about people addicted to the internet again?
"Hi" I typed into the conversation box. The other end had a generic default soccer ball as their display picture, compared to my own one, which involved me posing next to a Kyuhyun cardboard cutout at a recent convention, it was definitely much more... subtle.
"Yes?' came the other end's reply. Does he sound annoyed?
"I was referred by Ms Chae? Do you know her? She said I am able to contact you about K-Pop merchandise and stuff?" I got straight to the point.
"Oh look, another diehard fangirl. Which band is it this time?" I can totally see a fat toilet-cleaning kid on the other end mocking my eternal love for my Kyuhyun, "It's alright Cana..." I reassured myself "Calm down and explain nicely."
"Um... Super Junior?" I typed, the more I hear this guy talk the more positive I am of this guy hating me one way or another.
"Another ELF? What's so good about them anyway? They're all talentless and are just selling thier faces." I grew red with anger at that comment, why you stupid fat toilet cleaner nerd! You're just jealous of my beautiful intelligent skinny Kyuhyun! For the next ten minutes I argue d with this fat nerd about how my Kyuhyun has got more talent than he'll ever have. And in the end, he simply gave up talking to me and signed off. I angrily signed off following him, no point in telling the truth to a stubborn douche like him. I mean why would one work in the K-pop industry if they hate the Hallyu wave in the first place?!
As I blankly stared at my ceiling I sighed with disappointment. In the end I gained no discount or special signed posters... just annoying IM enemy whom I don't even know the name of.
Aren't you a smooth one Cana, real smooth...
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