"Relax, Layla!" Jenny said. "It'll be fine." She was a sweet lady, she really was. Only a few years older than me, she had more experience under her belt in the entertainment industry than I could ever have known from her appearance, but she was totally willing to put up with me, and that was by far the hardest thing to do anyway...
"No, it wont," I said. "I don't know anything about recording studios--"
"You don't have to," Jenny said. "That's why I'm here."
"That doesn't change the fact that I really don't know what I'm doing..."
"Relax. Seriously. We'll just rest today and meet some nice writers and producers tomorrow, alright?"
"Eh."
"That's more like it!" Jenny exclaimed. I had no idea where all that energy came from, but I was beyond tired. Jet lag, anyone? "We're here! Check the address."
I repeated the address for her.
"Hmm, this looks right."
"But...but..."
"Amazing, huh?"
A gorgeous house stood in front of me, boasting a modern yet conservative design and large paneled windows, as well as a grand entrance amongst the green grass plains and carefully crafted bushes and trees.
"Let's see if the landlord is home," Jenny said. "Great thing about this is we get to borrow the landlord's old car so we can save on taxi fare."
"Great," I mumbled, getting out of the car after Jenny paid the driver.
We rang the doorbell and a maid answered the door.
"Hi!" she said, then frowned. "Um..."
"We're subletting," Jenny said, smiling.
The maid blinked. "But...you're...ladies."
"Um, yes we are. Is Ms. Kim home?"
The maid shook her head and said, "Oh, no..."
I thought we were at the right house, but I didn't get a chance to glance at the address in the paper in my hand.
"Who is it?" a male voice said from inside. When he came into view, I furrowed my eyebrows. A man? He seemed to look familiar but I could not place him.
"Can I help you?" he said.
He reminded me of an Asian manga character, with large eyes and anime haircut. He looked so familiar, but I had no time to think of where I could have seen him. I had never been here, after all, so it was unlikely we had ever even met.
"You're...Ms. Kim?" Jenny asked, stifling a smile. "We're..."
"Your sublet renters," the maid said. "Essentially."
The man blinked. "But, you don't look like a Johnny."
Jenny laughed. "I'm Jenny."
He sighed, exasperatedly. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, dialing madly. He said to the maid, "Let them in. I'm calling George."
"Wait, what's going on?" I asked as we were ushered inside. The gate opened to reveal a luxurious foyer, decked with actual plants and lamps lining the sides of the walls, brilliantly lit by the bright lights from above. I saw a large pool to my right briefly before we were ushered into the Great Room to our left.
"I think George made a mistake," Jenny said. "He told us we would sublet a room out of Ms. Kim's home... but Ms. Kim is actually Mr. Kim."
"How could that be?" I said.
"Well in the language, we don't distinguish male and female honorables," Jenny said.
"I don't know what that means," I said. "But I don't see the issue."
Jenny gasped. "You can't have unmarried women living with an unmarried man!"
I rolled my eyes. "Jenny, do you watch TV?"
I glanced around. The place was absolutely gorgeous. From the ceiling, there hung a beautiful brown metal chandelier, and the large matching sofa sat before a contemporary-style glass coffee table, beside an unopened fireplace. The walls were brilliantly lit, displaying paintings of nature and architecture. The cozy feeling in the room was remarkable.
"Not American TV. My gosh, is that what they teach you?" Jenny said.
"No, it's just not a big deal. We're responsible..."
The man then entered the Great Room where he handed the phone to Jenny. "He's not listening," he said.
Jenny sighed and took the phone. "Hi, George," she said sternly.
She stepped out for a few minutes. The man stood close to the exit to the foyer and looked back at me.
"You can't tell anyone."
I gave him a look. "What?" I said.
"You can't tell anyone where I live."
I laughed. "Why would anyone care where you lived?'
He gaped at me speechlessly. "Who are you to say that to me?" he finally said.
"You're just a guy," I said.
"I'm Jae!" he exclaimed. "Jaejoong!"
I squinted at him. "Okay. I'm Layla."
He sighed loudly. "Have you never seen this before?" He gestured at his face.
"Vaguely familiar?" I said.
Jae sighed. "I'm from DBSK! Hugest band in Korea and Japan! The 'angelic' voice!"
I blinked at him.
Oh.
Then it dawned.
The best-looking one from the Korean band everyone was obsessed about. The one with supposedly the best vocals.
"Oh," I said.
"No one can find out where I live, you got it?"
"Why not?" I said, smiling.
He glared. "Chaos! My house would be stalked!"
"Do you really think girls are just going to launch themselves at you like that?"
"Yes."
I burst into laughter. "Jae, you are funny."
He gaped at me again.
"Okay, now what?" I said, crossing my arms.
"Here, you don't call elders by their names," he said. "Unless you're in a relationship with them. I'm obviously older than you, so you call me oppa."
"Well. Where I come from, I call people by their names, except teachers, parents, and people of authority."
"But--"
"Fine. Jae oppa. Whatever. Happy?"
Jae blinked at me again. I didn't understand him. Suddenly, Jenny burst back into the room and said, "Mr. Kim, George hung up on me!"
Jenny sighed. "He said he's sorry but this was all he could accommodate right now."
"It's okay, Jenny," I said.
"Mr. Kim..." Jenny began.
"Call me Jae," he said.
I frowned. Jenny wasn't that much older than me.
"Jae, we are really sorry..."
He sighed. "Well, George leaves me with no choice..."
We looked at him expectantly.
"You're leaving," he said. "Bye!" He began to show us to the door.
"What? Wait--" Jenny said, but to no avail.
"Sorry guys."
"Jae. Oppa," I said, in an afterthought. They both paused and looked at me, while Jenny tried to hide the small smile forming on her face. "We don't have anywhere else to go."
Jae looked at me. "Not my problem."
He continued to usher us toward the door.
"I'll tell everyone where you live," I said suddenly. Jae froze and looked back at me with an expression I could not place. I suddenly remembered everything I knew about DBSK, like their fan base name. "I know Cassies. They'll be here before you know it."
Jenny's eyes widened but she didn't say anything.
"You--you can't," Jae sputtered.
"Then let us stay," I said. "At least until we find somewhere else to go."
Jae looked at me and I stared right back. I was not going to lose this one.
"Meet me here at 8," he said. "I have rules."
I grinned. As he walked past us and up the stairs, I called after him, "Thanks, Jae oppa!"
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