Star University

I awoke to the sound of my sisters walking in to my room. The door wasn’t exactly the quietest to open. I was already half awake and listening to their little footsteps over my pearly white marble floor.

“Ya, unnie, are you awake?” I heard MinJi’s voice.

“Unnie, it is time to wake up!” EunJi called out. EunJi then continued to get in my bed with me, as did MinJi.

Just as they were settling down, I got up and made them jump. “Ah!” they chorused.

“Ha ha, you think you can out smart me my dongsengs!” I said.

“Unnie, oppa has made breakfast especially for us.”

“…and he said he wants me and EunJi to do something with him and his friends today.”

“You like it here, don’t you?” I asked them and they both nodded “Neh”

“Where is Junsoo?” I asked.

“At work, I think he wants a house to himself. I suppose he wants a wife and his own kids. He told me he might like one of the ajummas he works with!” MinJi stated giggling and making kissing noises.

“Okay, okay, go down and wait for me to get dressed and we can eat breakfast together.”

The girls proceeded downstairs and I shortly followed embracing the warm smell of fluffy rice and soup. I sat down in my usual corner chair with EunJi beside me and a bowl of amazing smelling food in front of me. JiYong walked in smiling.

“I am a good cook, aren’t I?” JiYong oppa asked and I nodded “well, let’s begin then, begopah.”

“Mmm, masshittda!” I paused then a question popped into my head. “Ya, oppa, what are you going to do with the twins today? And what friends are involved, have they met-“

He cut me off “Stop with the questions unnie! It’s only BigBang and we are planning something for you, don’t worry we won’t take too long, it will give you the opportunity to go and have like an hour in the studio before we do anything today.”

“Araseyo! That sounds okay with me.”

“Mmm okay, I’ll excuse myself and get ready to go and use the studio. Be nice to oppa.”

As I walked upstairs I heard them talking about a new dance routine that needed for their new music video and song and that MinJi and EunJi were planning something for him.

I got into my gym stuff and continued downstairs and into the studio and I checked everywhere for BigBang members before pursuing the routine.

I pressed play on the CD player and began to move in time with the music. I loved dancing, I could express myself better when dancing which was unusual for some people. I mean I wasn’t the best singer, at all.

After an hour, I decided to have a shower and go and see what my siblings were doing.

“Ya, oppa, where are you. EunJi, MinJi where are you?”

“Yeogi,” I heard JiYong oppa call out. I walk over to them. I see two microphones on the table next to EunJi and a new machine that was fitted into JiYongs room,

“What is all this?” I ask them.

“Well, you are going to a school of the arts, you might have to do some practicing on our vocals if you want to do well, you never know what subject you get chosen for. Stand up!” JiYong commanded.

That was frightening but I stood up anyway. “Why?”

“Girls, where is the measurer?” JiYong asked.

“Yeogi, Master Hwang JiYong oppa!”

What is this? Ahh it’s a game. “Yah! Why are you playing a game with me, this isn’t funny!” I said as JiYong began to measure me.

“36-23-37,” he read aloud as he is measuring me, “Wow, dongseng, your almost perfect! I’d say a 0.6”

“Why are you measuring me oppa?” I pouted.

“What happens if you need to become a model because you can’t sing or act? 163cm, 46kg, very nice, you could pass as a model I’d say.”

“What are you doing? I don’t like this.”

EunJi piped up, “We are putting together your school profile, oppa already knows everything to include so he is going to make a really awesome resume for you unnie. MinJi and I have been helping him!”

“Ah, Araseyo I’ll do it then” I let them do whatever they want to do.

“Right, pictures. Although you look lovely in those clothes, I suggest you change into something amazing and eye catching, in fact get a few outfits ready, we’ll get a modelling and acting profile
up.”

I did as I was told, I think it was all just for a little bit of fun for my sisters. To do something with them all together, it’s not like they would actually use the information. I put on a cute white dress with lace and curled my hair I didn’t bother with make-up.

“Perfect, bare face first!” JiYong said.

“Mwuh? What, how many pictures are we taking?”

“A lot, now stand up against that white wall.” JiYong said holding a camera he mouthed the word ‘pose’ and put a peace sign up.

I did as I was told, I forced a smile. I did around five poses before JiYong told me to put natural make up on. I posed again, on the same blank white wall.

After the first two costume changes I began to enjoy myself, and so did EunJi MinJi, as they decided to join in a few of my photos. I even had a nice photograph with oppa.

They then got me onto the karaoke machine and recorded me. I sang BigBang’s ‘Bad Boy’, and changed it into a female version, I then proceeded to sing Lee Hyori’s ‘Bad Girls’ and Super Juniors, ‘Only You.’

I was surprised when they told me how good I was, and obviously I didn’t agree or believe them, I’m not that good. I never normally sing in front of anyone, but I was swept away in the moment.

It was getting to become the afternoon and we all had so much fun we had forgotten about lunch, although we did snack on a few drinks and stuff. I went down stairs and the chefs had already prepared our food, I called them down and we ate all together. Appa was very busy with preparing with school and his jobs and Junsoo had moved out to start his own life and he didn’t really want to make a fuss about all of it.

After we finished eating, it was getting late and we decided to build a castle fort of pillows and blankets in JiYongs room and we all fell asleep straight away.

I was the first awake in the morning and because Eli was picking me up around 3 o clock I decided I would make an effort to look good for the café job. I put on a cute floral skirt and a light pink shirt and buttoned it to the top I curled my hair and braided a waterfall braid and added a pink bow. I put a little make-up on and went down stairs to eat.

After breakfast I decided to read and write a little bit and before I knew it I was getting into Eli’s car heading toward COEX mall café.

“So what would you like to eat? It’s on me!” He stated.

“Hey I owe you, it’s on me,” I replied to which he shook his head.

“You can buy me a coffee when I come to the café later. I will buy lunch.” Eli said, his eyes sparkled so brightly.

“Araseyo, I guess I can live with that, by the way what should I refer to you as, Sunbae? Eli Kim? Which do you prefer?” I asked I felt weird just calling him Eli.

“Call me oppa? If you want, or sunbae, hey how about we go to this restaurant?” He asked.

“Araseyo, but this looks really expensive.” I said looking at the inside of the restaurant.

“Don’t worry I know I can afford it, otherwise I wouldn’t offer. Don’t be scared and just order anything you like.”

“Araseyo oppa,” using oppa sounded nice with him.

We walked into the restaurant he let me chose the place we sat, I chose a cute corner table with some pretty pictures and nice lighting. I ordered bibimbap and a glass of ice cold water. Eli ordered the same and added some kimbap, seaweed, kimchi and rice. We ate a nice meal and it was only four o clock, we paid and walked up to the café. We discussed issues like how I liked working at the bookstore, I learnt he worked in a pet store not too far away from here and we agreed I would visit him while he was at work.

At the café, I bought him a coffee and a nice cake, then I began my work. Eli ordered drinks a few times while I was working and he was working on his laptop not entirely sure what on, it looked like a story or newspaper report. I did everything I could and the girl who had gave us the free frozen yogurt the first time was working with me.

“Unnie, how old are you?” I asked politely whilst making one customers cappuccino.

“I am 19,” SeolHyun said politely,

“What school do you go to?” I asked, I felt like I was being annoying.

“Seoul National University, I study medicine. What about you?”

“I am going to be attending Seoul University and School of the Arts? I have no idea what I am studying my appa works there, so it was kind of a family thing.”

“Yeah I heard, and obviously you will debut and become famous like G.Dragon and your dad, your so lucky to be born under a director of an entertainment company. I envy you.” SeolHyun said frowning to herself as she washed the plates.

At the end of my shift, as I was taking off my apron and unpinning my hair letting it down. Eli grabbed me by the wrist and we both said goodbye to SeolHyun and the other staff. I could tell me and SeolHyun were going to be good friends.

Me and Eli walked down to his car in silence, it wasn’t awkward silence either. When we got into the car I finally broke the silence.

“What were you doing all that time? You must have been bored.”

“Ani, I was doing homework for school, every year we are meant to write a summer diary and
explain what we have learnt when we are at work and with friends.” He explained “I have only one week left, and up until now it has only just gotten good, now I can actually write about interesting people who I like, so promise me we can hang out more?”

I try to hide my blush “Araseyo, aren’t you hungry? Why don’t we go to a tent that sells some tteokboki? Or chicken?”

“How old are you?”

“18, western, 19 korean wae?”

“Want some SoJu?” He asked me, I did drink a little back home, but not a lot it is frowned upon in the UK for people under the age of 20 to drink, but the legal age is 18 so it wasn’t illegal.

“Urm, yeah okay, but not too much.” We pulled over to a small tent where a couple of business men had sat around eating black bean noodles and drinking soju.

“Ajumma, two bottles of soju and tteokboki please.” Eli shouted.

“Neh,” the ajumma called out and quickly bought the food and two glasses to us. “Yeogi, have some chicken and black bean noodles on the house too.”

“Gamsahamnida ajumma.”

“Pour me a drink please noona?” Eli asked holding his cup to me,

“Mmm,” I pour his drink and then hold out mine and he returns the favour. We down it in one and enjoy the tteokboki and chicken. I didn’t dare drink anymore, and neither did Eli, we finished and paid we didn’t want to be drunk so we could drive home.

Eli dropped me off at my house and we said goodbye, I told him to call me tomorrow and we could sort our next meeting. I galloped off into the house and put some shorts and a big baggy England rugby t-shirt on and fell asleep, with my slippers on on the sofa in my room.

When I woke in the morning I was in bed, my slippers were off and I had a blanket wrapped around me.

Probably just oppa I say to myself. Oh crap it was Saturday better go down eat and get ready for work. When I got down to the dining room, everyone was already awake. I bumped into someone I really didn’t feel like seeing today.

“Annyeong noona, are you okay?” YoungBae oppa asked.

I finish my glass of water in one “Yeh, gomawoyo, but oppa, why haven’t you been speaking to me?” I startled myself I didn’t realise what I was going to say “Was it because I accidently walked in on you last week, if so jwehsonghamnida, I really am sorry.”

“Ani, it’s not because of that, anyway, lets eat, you must be hungry working all these days.”
We go in together and I’m not surprised to see the rest of BigBang sitting at my table. I bet for oppa it must have been lonely at home when we left, but he wanted to stay to do music so he must have invited BigBang over the house a lot, that’s why they were so comfortable here.
The hours passed and work was soon upon me, so I packed and got read for my second shift at the café.

The next week seemed to go really fast and before I knew it. It was the day before school.
After hanging out with Eli, Tao and BigBang all week I was feeling pretty confident. I still hadn’t seen Eli at work but we planned on it next Sunday. I was looking forward to it because it is meant to sell lots of different animals, and I loved animals.

The night before school was no different than any other night, JiYong oppa had promised to show me around the school and help me get my time table ready and my schedule for performing ready. I didn’t do any rituals or anything before bed that night I just brushed my hair got into some comfy pyjamas and fell asleep waiting to hear my alarm clock sound at half past five in the morning.

Notes