American Casual

Julia got to Junmyeon and Kyungsoo’s suite a few minutes ahead of schedule the next morning and allowed herself a grin before knocking on the door. They're gonna be so surprised, she thought gleefully.

Junmyeon opened the door, still in his pajamas and holding a steaming cup of coffee. “You’re up early,” he yawned.

“And you’re still asleep, apparently,” Julia said, taking note of his severe bed head as she went inside.

“I’m just jet lagged,” he mumbled.

“You always get super jet lagged,” Kyungsoo called from the kitchen.

“Not always,” Junmyeon retorted, then he was cut off by another yawn.

Julia went into the kitchen and peered over Kyungsoo’s shoulder into the pan of rice he was stirring. “Do you do anything besides cook for these weirdos?” she commented.

“Hey, I like cooking,” he said reproachfully, “and this is just for me, thank you very much.”

The door opened and Chanyeol and Jongin came in, both in sweatshirts and jeans. “Are we the first ones?” Chanyeol asked hopefully.

“Don’t worry Chanyeol, you’re on time,” Julia said, snagging a clump of rice from the pan and popping it into her mouth.

“Apparently so,” Jongin said, nodding at Junmyeon. “The managers will be here soon, you know.”

“I’m gonna shower,” Junmyeon groaned, downing his coffee and shuffling out of the room.

Sehun and Jongdae were next to arrive and Julia was impressed by how sharply dressed Sehun was. “Going to a gala after this?” she asked, giving his outfit a once-over.

“Someone’s gotta have a sense of fashion here,” he replied, running a hand over his tailored blazer.

Jongdae peered over Kyungsoo’s shoulder hopefully, only to be smacked away with the spatula. “It’s too early to even think about dressing up,” he announced, sliding his chastised hand into his hoodie pocket.

“Tell me about it,” Chanyeol agreed.

“I’m beginning to see why stylists are so necessary,” Julia muttered.

“You have no idea,” Kyungsoo replied, pouring his breakfast into a bowl.

Baekhyun, Yixing and Minseok arrived just as Junmyeon emerged from his bedroom, dressed in jeans and a crisp button-down. He was still yawning as he went for the coffee pot again and downed another cup in a matter of seconds. Baekhyun and Yixing were in the middle of an animated discussion, while Minseok already looked exhausted. “Move over,” he said, joining Junmyeon at the counter.

“What happened to you?” Julia asked.

“They happened,” he replied, nodding at Baekhyun and Yixing. “I swear they chattered like monkeys all night.”

“Didn’t you go to school here?” Baekhyun asked, turning his attention to Julia.

“I did,” Julia affirmed. “I graduated from Columbia University, which isn’t terribly far from here.”

“You should take us there,” Yixing suggested, “give us the grand tour.”

Julia pictured leading nine Asian men through her alma mater and had to suppress a laugh. “I don’t think so,” she demurred, “but don’t worry, there’s plenty of New York I can show you.”

Youngjun arrived a few minutes later and called everyone to order. “I have a surprise for you, and I think you're gonna like it,” he said with a smile.

“I knew it!” Jongdae said triumphantly.

“What is it?” Chanyeol asked.

“We've managed to book you a live interview on The Tonight Show,” he announced, “where you'll also be performing Ko Ko Bop.”

The boys let out a jubilant shout and all clamored over each other until Junmyeon managed to quiet them. “When?” he asked.

“You're due at the studio at six,” Youngjun replied.

Julia grinned and Minseok noticed it. “You already knew, didn't you?” he said accusingly.

“Youngjun told me on the plane,” she admitted. “I couldn’t resist being in on the surprise after the you did the music video thing for me.”

“Does that mean we have to do the whole interview in English?” Yixing asked.

“And perform an English version of Ko Ko Bop,” Youngjun added.

He waited long enough for even Junmyeon to look concerned before he and Julia burst out laughing. “I’m kidding, relax,” he said, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.

Chanyeol sagged against the couch and Junmyeon took another long gulp of coffee. “It’s too early for this,” he muttered.

As they all headed down to the lobby Julia caught up with Youngjun and steered him out of earshot of the members. “I have something I’d like to do with the guys tonight,” she said, then she quickly whispered her plan into his ear.

“Sounds fine, as long as they’re back in time to rest,” Youngjun replied. “They’ve got their concert tomorrow and-”

“What’s all the whispering about?” Jongdae asked, elbowing Julia as he caught up to them.

“We were just talking about having you order breakfast for everyone,” Julia replied.

“Bring it on,” he said confidently. “I had the best English teacher in the world, and now I can take on anything!”

He took off running down the hallway, still yelling in a mixture of Korean and English, and was soon followed by Yixing and Chanyeol.

No matter where I go, boys are all the same, Julia thought with a rueful grin.


******


The Tonight Show’s backstage area was surprisingly calm for being so close to showtime, but Julia could still feel the members’ palpable excitement as they huddled together near the door. “Do we get to meet Jimmy Fallon before we go on?” Baekhyun asked.

“Maybe,” Junmyeon shrugged. “Does everyone have their monitors?”

All eight members held up battery packs with monitors plugged in. “I wonder who else is on the show tonight,” Chanyeol wondered aloud.

Julia dug a scrap of paper out of her pocket. “Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen and Sebastian Stan are here to promote the new Avengers movie,” she read aloud.

The members’ eyes widened and Jongin pressed a hand to his mouth. “The Avengers are here?!” he whispered.

“This is the greatest day of my life,” Chanyeol breathed.

“Hey there, guys!” said a voice behind them, and they all turned to see Jimmy striding over to them, buttoning his dark blue blazer and giving them a winning smile.

“Mr. Fallon,” Junmyeon said, all of them bowing respectfully.

“I’m so pleased to have you on the show tonight,” Jimmy said, shaking hands with each of them. “Liking New York alright?”

“Yes, we always enjoy coming here,” Junmyeon replied.

Julia had retreated back a little to watch, then her phone rang and she checked it. “Hey,” she said, putting it to her ear.

“Well, this ruins the perfectly constructed voicemail message I’ve been practicing,” Jin teased.

“Jin-”

“I’m just kidding,” he interrupted. “How are things?”

“Things are good,” Julia said, keeping an eye on the members. “We’re… filming a talk show appearance in a few minutes.”

“Which one? James Corden, Ellen? Please say Ellen, I love watching her.”

Julia smiled. “I can’t tell you yet, but it’ll air soon,” she promised. “How are things at SM?”

“Normal,” he said, and she could almost see him shrugging one shoulder as if both was too much effort. “NCT’s getting another comeback soon with the new members they’ve added, and I think f(x) is finally working on stuff now that Amber’s back in Seoul, but the rest is just staff gossip.”

Julia sat in a chair and pressed the phone close to her ear. “I’d kill for some staff gossip,” she said, “unless you’ve got somewhere to be. What is it over there, lunchtime?”

“Why do you think I’m calling now?” Jin replied. “I’ve got a chicken stuffed burrito in the microwave, so naturally I thought about calling you.”

Julia grinned again. “Okay, spill the dirt,” she ordered.

“Kim Tae Ryu broke up with her boyfriend last week, but they’re still both working on the choreo for that Girls’ Generation video, which is making things awkward for everyone. Then there’s the vandalisms.”

“Vandalisms?” Julia echoed.

“Didn’t I tell you? Someone’s been vandalizing company property almost every day since you left Korea. At first it was just graffiti, but yesterday a manager’s car looked like someone had taken a baseball bat to it, and this morning someone threw a brick through the lobby window.”

Julia furrowed her brow in thought. “Why didn’t we hear about this?” she wondered.

“It’s all pretty recent, and the CEO’s trying to keep it out of the tabloids,” Jin replied through a mouthful of burrito. “Besides, you’ve got enough on your plate with wrangling SM’s biggest cash cow across the US.”

Julia rolled her eyes. “ ‘Wrangling a cash cow’?” she repeated. “How long did it take you to come up with that?”

“Just thought of it now, actually,” Jin sniffed. “My comedic powers are beyond the comprehension of a mortal like you.”

“They’re definitely beyond something,” she agreed. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” he said, his tone much softer now. “Have you… I mean, did you…”

“Did I tell them?” Julia finished. “The last thing I need is them getting all overprotective again. You should see the looks on their faces when they glimpse the… the scars.”

There was a momentary pause and Julia felt guilty. “I didn’t mean to-”

“I know,” Jin said quickly, “believe me, I know. If the situation was reversed, I’d feel the same way about one of them. Just let me know when you tell them so I can be prepared for the waterboarding or whatever torture they’ll have planned for me.”

A countdown timer started and Julia realized the show was about to start. “I have to go,” she said apologetically, “but I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Okay. Break a leg out there!”

“I’m not the one being interviewed,” she chided him.

“This time,” he amended.

Julia slid her phone back into her pocket and rejoined the group. “What are we all looking at?” she asked, peering around them.

“Over there, in the wings,” Jongin whispered.

Julia squinted her eyes and could make out Paul Bettany’s profile as he was fitted with a microphone. “Did you talk to him yet?” she asked.

“Are you kidding? We can’t just walk up to The Vision and talk to him!” Baekhyun hissed.

“I think I’ve forgotten every English word I ever knew,” Yixing groaned.

“All of you, listen to me,” Julia commanded, and they all reluctantly tore their eyes away from Paul Bettany and looked at her. “I know you’re all nervous, but you know the language, okay? Don’t worry about finding the exact words, and if you get stuck, help each other out.”

They all nodded and Julia put a comforting hand on Yixing’s shoulder. “You’re gonna be great,” she whispered to him.

“I need Mr. Bettany, Ms. Olsen and Mr. Stan!” the stage manager called, waving his clipboard as he whirled by. Youngjun was on his heels and gave the members one last once-over. “Mr. Fallon will interview the actors first, then you’ll go out there. Remember, all of you should try to say something, even if it’s only a few words. This is some major American exposure for you, so don’t forget that.”

They all nodded as the lights came up and the show began. Julia didn’t pay much attention after Jimmy’s opening monologue, but she caught a glimpse of a giant dartboard being wheeled back behind the soundstage and she grinned. Something tells me this is gonna be hilarious, she thought to herself.

The first commercial break started and all three actors headed over to where the members were waiting in the wings.

“They’re coming over here!” Baekhyun whispered panickedly.

Julia didn’t have time to reply, so she just elbowed him as Jimmy brought the actors over. “Gentlemen, this is Paul, Sebastian and Elizabeth. Guys, this is the KPOP group EXO I was telling you about, all the way from Seoul.”

The actors shook hands with all the members and Julia could’ve sworn a few of the guys were blinking back tears. “It’s an honor to meet you,” Chanyeol said in English. “We’re all such huge fans.”

“We watched a couple of your videos before the show started,” Elizabeth replied. “I have to say, I was very impressed.”

“And I as well,” Paul added. “I for one am really looking forward to your performance tonight.”

“Thank you,” Junmyeon managed.

“Which one of you did the thing, in that gambling video?” Sebastian asked, and he did something that sort of resembled a body roll.

“That was Sehun,” Chanyeol volunteered, gesturing at his friend.

“Sehun?” Sebastian repeated. “That was awesome, bro. I like a music group that has great dancers.”

“Yeah, it was hot,” Elizabeth agreed.

It was too dark for the actors to notice, but Sehun’s face had reddened considerably and he gave them a sheepish smile. “Thank you, I really appreciate that,” he replied with a bow.

“Back in thirty!” a stagehand called, jolting them back to the task at hand. “Good luck, we’ll see you again in a bit,” Paul said, and the actors all retreated to the break area near the stage door.

“I can’t believe that just happened!” Minseok said.

“Believe it,” Julia replied, giving Sehun a gentle nudge. He was still blushing and seemed a little dazed from his experience, but he found her hand and squeezed it appreciatively.

“Okay boys, you’re up,” Youngjun said, waving them forward. Julia gave each one a nod of encouragement as they filed onstage and found their seats, then she joined Youngjun in the wings. “They’re gonna be great,” she said confidently.

“They always are,” Youngjun agreed. “Listen Julia, I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for the boys. Not just the English lessons, but how much you encourage and care about them. You’ve really become an important part of their lives.”

Julia was surprised to hear such a heartfelt speech from him, but she managed a nod and a smile.

“Welcome back to The Tonight Show, everyone!” Jimmy said amidst loud applause. “Our next guests are new to our show, but they’re known all around the globe for their incredible music. They’re one of the most popular Korean pop groups of all time, please welcome EXO!”

More loud applause as the members all bowed from their seats and waved at the audience.

“Thank you so much for being here,” Jimmy said. “I understand you arrived in New York yesterday?”

Julia already knew all the questions Jimmy would ask, but had refused to help prepare answers as part of the members’ continuing development. They can’t depend on me forever, she kept telling herself, and as she listened to their responses her pride in them grew enormously. It’s almost like they were born to it, she thought, and she felt a tear prick her eye.

“I must say your English is incredible!” Jimmy said, echoing her thoughts. “Did you teach yourselves or did you take lessons?”

“Our company hired an American interpreter to come to Seoul and teach us,” Junmyeon replied. “She spent four months instructing us, then we came here.”

“Only four months?!” Jimmy exclaimed. “She sounds like a wizard or something. Is she still with you?”

“Yeah she came with us tonight,” Chanyeol said, glancing back at her.

“She’s here?” Jimmy asked. “Can we meet her? Would you all like to meet her?”

The audience started chanting and the members all nodded at her encouragingly. No, she mouthed, shaking her head firmly, but Youngjun propelled her forward and she found herself walking into the bright stage lights. She gave him one frown before assuming a pleasant expression and waving at the audience. Just pretend you’re giving a speech or something, she told herself as a stagehand handed her a microphone.

She shook hands with Jimmy and Chanyeol offered her his seat on the couch, which she accepted cautiously. Minseok and Jongin were on either side of her and Jongin briefly squeezed her arm in encouragement.

“What’s your name?” Jimmy asked as the applause died down again.

“Julia Park,” she replied.

“What was it like living in Korea for four months and working with celebrities like this?” he asked. “Was there a lot of culture shock?”

“A little, but my parents are actually Korean so it wasn’t completely unfamiliar,” she said. “Plus the guys all made me feel right at home, so that helped.”

She felt Jongin shift slightly and she poked him with a discreet finger.

“Julia is the best teacher,” Chanyeol pronounced, sitting on the floor with his back against the couch.

The other members all agreed enthusiastically and Julia’s cheeks flushed. “I don’t know about best,” she protested.

“No, it’s true,” Baekhyun insisted. “She even made custom lesson materials for us to take with us when we were traveling, so no one fell behind.”

“Yeah,” Yixing agreed. “I was in China most of the time, but she was so determined that I never really was behind the others.”

“That’s incredible,” Jimmy said. “Will you be traveling with them on tour?”

“Yes, all eighteen cities,” she confirmed.

“And will you be continuing to teach back in Korea as well?”

There was a slight pause as Julia weighed her answer, then she gave him a winning smile. “I’d certainly love to if they’ll have me,” she said, studiously avoiding eye contact with the members. No one else would notice, but she sensed the mood had changed slightly.

“That’s so awesome. Now tell me about this album.”

Julia wanted to slip away, but she was pretty well stuck on the couch until the lights finally went down and the interview ended. As soon as they all made it backstage again she punched the closest member in the arm, which happened to be Minseok. “What was that for?” he demanded.

“That was for pulling me onstage,” she said, smacking Sehun and Baekhyun as they passed for good measure.

“What were we supposed to say?” Baekhyun said incredulously.

“It was kinda funny,” Sehun added.

Julia punched him again, then made eye contact with Chanyeol. The concerned expression in his eyes said he hadn’t forgotten her response about coming back to Seoul, but the members were already being pulled away to prepare for their performance and nothing was said. I’ll have to explain later, she thought.

Youngjun returned and nodded at her approvingly. “Well done, especially with that last question,” he said. “I would’ve liked some warning, but I know things can be a little unpredictable on this show.”

Julia glanced past him to make sure he was alone, then stepped closer. “Am I going back to Korea?” she whispered. “It was never really discussed, and I think the guys are taking it for granted that I am. What should I tell them?”

Youngjun thought for a minute. “Obviously the executives are extremely pleased with your work, and you’d get many recommendations to stay on from the staff, but you know I can’t guarantee anything until a formal offer is made,” he said gently.

“I know,” Julia said, “and I meant what I said. I would really love to come back to SM.”

“Really?” Youngjun raised an eyebrow. “Even after everything that’s happened?”

“Especially after everything that’s happened,” she replied. “I’ve made some lifelong friends there, and I genuinely love the work I’m doing. Please let them know that.”

Youngjun nodded as the lights came up on the far stage and they could see the members all in position. “I’ll do what I can,” he murmured.

Julia’s eyes traveled over each of her friends and she let out a silent sigh. Let’s hope that’s enough, she thought.

Notes