When I arrived at the subway entrance near Daehakro where we were supposed to meet, Woo-ah Unni was already there waiting.
I sneaked up from behind and tried to lower my voice as much as possible.
“Hello, you’re just my type.”
“Huh?”
Unni turned around, confirmed it was me, and smiled.
“Oh, sorry~ I have a boyfriend.”
“Ah, seeing your front profile, you’re not really my type. Have a beautiful love.”
“What? Come on! You should ask me again!”
“Sorry, you’re not my type…”
But for some reason, Unni’s face looked different from usual today.
“What’s up, did you put on makeup?”
“Yeah, why? Is it not good?”
“It’s not that. It’s just that I’ve never seen you like this. You never wear makeup to practice.”
“Of course I went comfortably when heading to practice. Today I’m out having fun. Have you ever tried putting on makeup, Do-hee?”
“What kind of makeup would an elementary school student wear?”
“I did even when I was an elementary student!”
Well, these days when I see kids at school, all the girls, including Su-jin, are wearing makeup.
What kind of elementary schoolers wear makeup?
“I don’t need to wear that stuff because I look pretty just with sunscreen.”
Unni said while hugging me.
“Right, our Do-hee is pretty even without makeup.”
“So, where are we going?”
“I’m also new here, so I don’t know well.”
Well, how much can a first-year middle schooler have explored?
Of course, it’s my first time too.
“Then let’s just grab lunch.”
“Sounds good~”
“What do you want to eat, Unni?”
“I’m okay with anything. Let’s eat what you want, Do-hee.”
Anything? I just pointed out what I saw.
“Then let’s eat that soup there.”
“Um… sorry, I already had soup for breakfast…”
“You had soup for breakfast?”
“Yeah.”
What? Did she drink the night before and had it as hangover soup or something?
Oh well, I feel weird having the same thing again for lunch.
I searched for a restaurant around Daehakro on my phone.
“Then I heard there’s a good place for tonkatsu nearby, let’s go there.”
“Ah… tonkatsu. Can we eat something other than that? I’ve been worrying about my weight lately, so fried food isn’t really…”
Well, I’ve been gaining weight too; I had only low-calorie meals at work lately.
“Okay, then let’s go with something you can choose.”
“No, Do-hee can choose. I really don’t mind, just not the stuff I mentioned.”
“Are you serious this time?”
“Yep!”
I pointed to a Japanese restaurant from the suggestions I found.
“What about this sushi place? Doesn’t look bad.”
“Sorry, I can’t eat anything fishy. Just that one, please.”
“Then go ahead and starve.”
I just left Unni behind and walked to the soup place alone.
“Oh, sorry! I’ll really go anywhere!”
Sigh.
I guess I have to go to a place that women would like.
“Ugh… let’s just eat pasta, is that okay?”
“Yeah!”
Unni is grinning.
She’s really happy about this.
We arrived at the pasta place and sat down to start choosing food from the menu.
I started choosing food while looking at the menu.
“Do-hee, what are you going to order?”
“I’ll have anything.”
“Ah, I’m sorry~ I won’t say ‘anything’ next time.”
“Then I’ll have Shanghai pasta.”
“Got it! I’ll have rose pasta. Is it okay if we skip the pizza?”
When I was a guy, I could eat pasta and pizza without feeling full, but as a girl now, just the pasta fills me up.
“Alright, let’s just order pasta.”
“Okay~”
After we ordered our food, we talked about what to do after eating.
“Do-hee, where do you want to go after we eat?”
“Don’t you want to do anything, unni? You’re the one who wanted to meet.”
“I’m happy just walking with you, Do-hee~”
“Then let’s just stop by a nearby café for dessert and stroll around to see what’s there, then maybe go to a coin karaoke.”
“Sounds good, heh heh.”
Every time our eyes met, unni smiled, and I could really feel she liked me a lot.
I like unni too, though.
Well, when I look in the mirror, I can’t help but smile when my eyes meet mine, so what can I say about unni?
I have many sins.
Many sins~
“By the way, you know there’s going to be a new trainee audition at our company soon, right? They said the application will open on the website next month.”
“I know~ It’ll be fun when new trainees come in, and we can all take lessons together.”
In the end, they’ll be competitors, but it seems unni isn’t worried at all.
I don’t know what the new trainees’ skills will be like, but unni’s personality is so gentle; I wonder if she can really compete.
I heard online that there’s a lot of rivalry among trainees; I wonder how unni will handle that.
A little later, our food arrived.
“Let’s eat well.”
“Wait, Do-hee! Let me take a picture first.”
Unni pulled out her phone and started taking pictures of the food.
“Do you have an Instagram, unni?”
As trainees, we are prohibited from using social media at the company in case we make a slip-up and get into trouble later.
“Not really.”
“Then why are you taking pictures of the food?”
“Because it’s pretty.”
Even though I’ve been living as a girl for 12 years, I still don’t get it.
If it’s to post food pictures on social media, I understand, but if not, then why take them?
After finishing our meal.
Unni and I decided to walk to a famous café we found earlier to help with digestion.
While we were walking to the café, I realized unni wasn’t next to me.
‘What the, where did she go?’
When I turned around, unni was standing in front of a jewelry stall.
“Do-hee, look at this ring! Isn’t it really cute?”
“It’s just okay.”
“Should we get friendship rings?”
“Why would we? It’s a waste of money.”
“Aw~ Let’s do it~ Okay?”
Sigh, who doesn’t act childish.
“Excuse me, how much is this?”
“Two for 20,000 won!”
It looks pretty cheap, but it’s expensive.
Plus, the sign says, “Cash or bank transfers only.”
When I kept staring at the lady, feeling awkward, she said,
“But if such a pretty girl buys them, I’ll give you a discount. Just give me 18,000 won~”
She barely cut the tax.
“I’ll pay by bank transfer.”
“I’ll transfer it.”
“Since I’m making money while being a trainee anyway, I might as well consider it playing with a kid and buy it.”
“Do-hee, I’ll buy it!”
My older sister pulled out 18,000 won from her wallet.
What money does that kid have?
“I said I’d buy it, so I’ll buy it. Okay?”
“Then go ahead.”
I’ll cover the cafe.
After buying the ring and walking back to the cafe, my sister had vanished again.
What is she trying to buy now?
When I turned around, she was caught by some guy this time.
“Can I have your number? I really like you.”
From his face, he looked like a college student.
My sister seemed nervous, as if it was her first time experiencing this.
At this rate, she’ll end up giving him her number.
“Sis, what are you doing?”
“Well… he asked for my number…”
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?”
“Yes” is casual talk.
“Yes, my sister is a first-year middle school student. Please leave.”
Even though she looks a bit more mature with makeup on today, no matter how you slice it, she still looks like a high school student. Does he seriously think she wants to be approached like that?
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
The man apologized several times and left.
“I was really scared.”
“What’s scary? If someone asks for your number next time, just say you’re sorry and walk away. Are you going to do that when you debut later?”
“Wouldn’t Do-hee be there to protect me then?”
“We haven’t even decided if we’re debuting together yet, so what are you talking about?”
I looked out for my sister again and headed toward the cafe.
Not far along, someone called me this time.
“Excuse me.”
It’s tough to just go to a cafe.
What is it now?
I turned around to answer.
“Yes? Me?”
A guy in his forties was staring at me.
No way, is he trying to scout me?
That can’t be!
I look like an elementary student, don’t I?
“Yes, I’m a student. Are you interested in the entertainment industry?”
So it’s not scouting, but a street casting.
I finally surpassed my dad’s casting attempts.
This is a monumental day.
I need to brag about this when I get home.
“I’m sorry, I’m not interested.”
“Really not interested? Every student should try to become a celebrity.”
“I’m sorry.”
“If your friend auditioned with you, you both would probably get in, so why not just try auditioning at least?”
“I’m really not interested.”
I grabbed my sister’s hand and turned away.
But the man seemed persistent and followed us, saying,
“Student, don’t do that. Can I at least have your number?”
I’m just gonna say it.
“Actually, my sister and I are both from different companies.”
“Oh, really? What company?”
I can’t tell him where I belong since I’m a confidential trainee.
“I’m sorry.”
The man sighed and pulled out a business card from his pocket.
“Our company usually doesn’t disclose which company we’re from when casting, but I’m telling you this because it’s such a pity.”
On the card, it said:
‘JS Entertainment Rookie Development Team Casting Director Hwang Tae-kyun.’
Oh.
JS Entertainment? That’s one of the big four agencies!
I’ll have to brag twice when I get home now.
“Do-hee, look at this too.”
I handed the card over to my sister.
“Wow! It’s JS!”
The man smiled at my sister’s reaction and responded.
She smiled in response to her older sister’s reaction.
“That’s right, js. Come work with us.”
“How about you at least hear the contract terms?”
“That’s way too sneaky. We have loyalty to the company.”
“Seriously, what company is it? Another one of the big four agencies? zy? Haru? Lepro?”
“I can’t tell you… I’m sorry. Let’s go, unni.”
Awesome! Once I debut, I’ll have a story to tell.
As I turned back towards the café, it seemed my sister was a bit disappointed.
“Wow, js, that’s such a shame.”
“What’s so shameful? Our company is good.”
“But it’s one of the big four agencies.”
“We’ll debut and turn it into the big five.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, so just practice hard and worry about debuting.”
“Okay!”
.
.
.
I dropped off Woo-ah Unni and arrived home.
“I’m back~”
Do-ah was the first to come out and welcome me.
“You came, Unni?”
“Yep, I brought a delicious cake for you~”
“You’re the best, Unni!”
Mom and Dad didn’t even show their faces when their daughter came home.
“What about Mom and Dad?”
“They’re in the bedroom.”
I opened the bedroom door and went in.
“What were you doing when your daughter came?”
Dad and Mom were lying on the bed, with Dad using his arm as a pillow for Mom.
What’s going on since dinner?
“Oh, our daughter is here?”
Dad said.
“Aren’t you embarrassed in front of your daughter? Cuddling and all before dinner.”
Mom, who was quietly lying down watching TV and eating snacks, said, “What’s there to be embarrassed about?”
“Why are you eating snacks when it’s dinner time? You’re ruining your appetite.”
“Is it already that late? Do-ah must be starving. I need to make dinner quickly.”
“Is Do-ah the only one starving? What about me?”
“Do-hee too~ Alright then, did our princess have a good time?”
“Hehe…”
Mom looked at me with another strange smile.
“Uh oh, here we go again. What is it this time?”
“Ah, look at this business card.”
Mom received the card, then exclaimed loudly.
“Oh my! Is this js’s? Really?”
“Hehe, Dad’s casting count is only one. But Do-hee? Twice at a major agency? Comparison? No. Praise? Yes.”
“So what did they say?”
“What can I say? I just apologized and came back. Why? Loyalty of Do-hee.”
“Good job. If the agency treats you well, it’s only right.”
“I’m just getting the treatment I deserve. It’s only Do-hee’s loyalty.”
“Sigh, I love my daughter, but I really don’t understand her sometimes.”
“Mom, are you maybe jealous?”
“Sigh.”
The next day.
Clueless Woo-ah Unni blabbed about me being street cast by js Entertainment at work, leading me to have a meeting with Team Leader Jeong So-hyun and Director Lee Jung-hye for management.
I mean, I like this company and I’m not going anywhere!
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