My Summer in Seoul

She sighed and looked straight ahead. Her bright red lipstick stood out against her perfect skin and jet-black hair. “You get used to it.”

But should you? I silenced the thought before I could speak it out loud. Instead, I looked in her direction. She was watching Kai like he hung the moon.

“He’s cute,” I said.

She jerked her head away. “No dating policy. Sorry, sometimes he loses focus. I was just making sure…” Her voice trailed off. “He’s a Chaebol. It wouldn’t matter if I was obsessed. My dad’s a doctor, my mom a teacher. There’s no way I’d pass approval.”

“A what?” I asked, feeling dumb for oh, I don’t know, the hundredth time in the last few days? And I knew it would just get worse. In what universe did my uncle think I could handle this efficiently?

Slowly her neck craned until she was staring up at me like I had been raised by wolves. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”

“Accurate.” I sighed, hanging my head in defeat. I may as well get educated. “I know nothing, so give me the fast version.”

She sighed. “Fine. A Chaebol would be like…” She frowned. “I guess you could compare them to a dynasty? A trust fund kid who will one day inherit the business—or in Kai’s case should but probably won’t because he wants to do music.”

“So”—the music started again—“his dad’s a rich businessman?”

This time she did laugh. “You’re so innocent. He could probably buy a country. Does that make him rich? Yes, but we don’t talk about money.”

“Oh, sorry.” I gulped. “I’m just trying to learn.”

“That”—she crossed her arms—“is why you have a phone attached to your hand. You can learn a lot online.”

I shrugged. “I prefer to immerse myself.”

“Then”—she nodded to the security at the door—“you’ll probably be on the first flight out by the end of the week. We don’t believe in a learning curve. Survive or die. Those are your choices. No matter what industry you work in here, you work hard, and you don’t complain.”

I gulped. “Like you actually kill—”

“No.” She rolled her eyes. “Are you dumb on top of being ignorant?”

Warmth seeped into my cheeks. “No, sorry. I’m just—”

“Not right for the job, but did he listen to me last week? No. He just said you’d settle in—as if you can learn a lifetime full of missed culture.”

She was quiet after that.

A sense of shame filled me as our conversation ended. In the States, I had been made fun of for looking different, so many times at school, I remember rude assholes commenting on my eyes. But here? Here I was a clueless American who’d somehow forgotten her culture. No matter how hard I tried…

…I couldn’t win.

My dad’s words came back full force, causing me to straighten up a bit. I wanted to prove myself, and I would.

Solia’s phone went off, and she left the practice room again, her heels clicking against the floor’s hard surface while the guys finally took their first break since coffee and surrounded the table of food.

Most of them dug into it.

All except Sookie.

Sigh. That poor kid. Give him something to eat!

Solia came back a few seconds later and whispered something to Rae, then came to stand by me.

I frowned as Sookie grabbed a small bite of a spinach-looking thing and then set it down, drank some water, and went back to practice without everyone.

Thinking he was just overworking himself, I asked the group if there was a fridge or something where I could store his food so he could eat later.

Kai spoke up. “He’s dieting.”

I mean, I knew that, but to this extent?

“But…” I frowned. “He’s so young and thin. Why would he need to diet?”

Solia grabbed the food and tossed it in the trash. “The group aesthetics are extremely important for the Showcase. If he looks bigger, he takes away from the rest of the group. Leave him be. I’ll make sure he’s been hydrating.”

And just like that, she left the room.

I was ready to DoorDash a burger and fries as sweat poured off Sookie while he practiced, and the guys ate the food and watched, offering corrections and kind criticisms.

Wanting to shove a cookie in his face, I went back to my spot and huffed. He was just a kid, only a few years younger than me, but he needed nutrition, not just spinach.

Was I going to have to shove a Subway sandwich down his throat later?

Worried, I grabbed some random takeout container and walked toward him only to get blocked by Lucas.

He hit it right out of my hands and shook his head, then jerked his chin toward the place I’d been sitting for two hours as if telling me to go sit the hell down before I caused more trouble.

Food scattered around the floor.

Ugh, and we’d been doing so good… or so I thought. He was so hot and cold, it was impossible to know if he was having a good day where we could actually get along or if he was ready to set my body on fire.