RVDFC: Cover My Seoul

COCO

I woke up at the sauna again for the next two weeks, my schedule was the same. From the sauna to Miyeon's shop and then back again. I was earning petty, but it was enough to save up and I was sure by the end of the month, I could have a substantial amount and take a loan so I could get a place to stay.

I had not seen Alexander after that day, not like I was looking forward to seeing him, I only thought he would come again. But he did not.

"Coco-unni, do you know anyone who needs a roommate?" Jisoo asked over my shoulder.

Jisoo was one of the new workers Miyeon had hired in the past two weeks, there were three of us ; Jisoo, Hari, and I. Jisoo was more closer to me, she was a student in Seoul college of arts and science so she worked at Miyeon's for the summer break, and everytime she was around, she always talked my ear off. At first it was disturbing, but recently I looked forward to our talks, because it at least made me smile. There was not much in my life that required a smile any longer.

"Do you?" she pressed.

"Why do you ask?"

"My brother hates that I stay alone so he wants me to get a roommate," she answered, frowning as if she did not like the idea but she still did not have a choice.

"Your brother must be very protective of you right?"

"He is," she complained. "He needs to chill you know, I'm going to be twenty in two months."

I chuckled at her pouted mouth. "He is only looking out for you."

"Well, I never asked for it."

If only she knew how lucky she was that she had someone who actually cared enough to be protective of her. The only one who had ever done that for me was my mother, unfortunately she was no longer here.

"Some would kill for it," I told Jisoo as I grabbed another plate of fried chicken to package it.

"Whatever," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "So do you know anyone?"

She stood beside me now, looking at me expectantly. I blinked. "Me?" I blurted out.

She appeared confused for a minute while I bit my lip at my sudden reply. "You? You need a roommate?"

"Actually I need a place to stay for a while," I rushed out in one breath, hoping to God that my face was not flushed red with the amount of embarrassment I felt right then. "It's just for a while!" I added quickly. "Till I get my own apartment. And we can split the rent in half."

"Unni, were you dumped by your boyfriend?"

"What? No. Not at all." What happened to me was worse than that but Jisoo did not need to know. I only hoped she gave a positive response because I had gotten tired of the Sauna and the weird stares the workers there gave me each night I went back.

"Heyyyy." She drawled with a smirk. "Are you sure? Wait, did he chase you out or something? What a jerk!"

"Jisoo-ya. I have no boyfriend, as a matter of fact I have never dated before." I confessed. I never had the time.

"Really? How old are you again?"

"Do you still want a roommate?" I asked as a subtle reminder, veering her away from her line of discussion.

"Of course Unni! You can stay with me! That's much better than living with a stranger," she agreed eagerly. "And you do not need to pay rent, I won't take it," she added and proceeded to leave me to attend to the tables while I stared at her back with gratitude.

I released a breath of relief, somehow my problem of housing had been solved for now.

"Coco, we have a order at table seven," Hari called out.

"Coming!"

Table seven was for a couple, the man had on a baseball cap and an hoodie covering his head, while the girl beamed up at me, her blond hair packed up to a ponytail. She looked half Korean.

"Hi, I am Grace," she greeted in English. "My boyfriend said he ate chicken wings from your shop and he could not stop gushing about how nice they tasted," she commented. "That's why we came here."

"Oh really, that's so nice of him. How many plates would you like to order?"

"We will take one for now." I took my turn to leave just as my legs hit the table. The man startled, his hoodie cap coming off in the process. I gasped when I saw who it was.

"Lucas Baek?" I whispered, then clamped my hands over my mouth. It was him in flesh and blood, Lucas from SWT and his rumored girlfriend. Grace looked at me with panic then pleadingly put a finger to her lips gesturing for me to stay quiet. Of course I was going to stay quiet, I was no fan of his so I was not going to squeal my ears off because I saw an idol.

"I'll pack up two plates to go," I said and walked away. How stupid could they be to come out on a date in a public place like this with spying eyes around and the risk of bumping into a saesang.

I packed up their food and gave it to them, frowning as they paid and hurried out of the restaurant. Must be nice to live in his world, I thought bitterly.

I didn't hate SWT, not at all. As a matter of fact I enjoyed their music and at one point I had dreamed of collaborating with them. I only envied them, I wished for the life they had, sadly wishes do not come true for people like me.

✷✷

"Unni, do you like my place?" Jisoo squealed as I made it into the apartment, dragging my box behind me while my guitar was strapped to my back. Our shift at Miyeon's ended early today so I had told her to wait for me at the shop while I went to the Sauna to get my belongings.

Her apartment looked so pretty and was well furnished for a college student who worked part-time. She led me to the kitchen and then to the room.

"I didn't know you were going to come so I have no extra bed, but I told my brother to get one for me so it would probably arrive this night or tommorow morning," she explained.

"There is no problem, I can sleep on the floor," I assured her.

"Of course not! There will be no sleeping on the floor!" She said sternly. "My brother will get the beddings and the bed stand set-up, and you will definitely like it here."

My heart warmed at her gesture, and I could already feel the tears threatening to fall. I blew out a breath. "You are being so nice to me Jisoo-ya, I promise I will pay you back," I choked out.

Jisoo clicked her tongue. "You do not have to, instead you can lend me your ears like you have been doing for the past three weeks so I can moan to you about my college escapades all day long because my brother won't listen to them."

I laughed at that, feeling light-hearted. "Well you can do that," I agreed.

"Great!"She clapped happily. "You can put down your bags there." She pointed to an empty corner of the room. "I'll get something for us to eat."

She skipped out of the room, singing loudly and yet again a sad smile creeped up my face. She was adorable.

"Do you want noodles? Or should I order pizza?" Jisoo called out from the kitchen.

"Anything will do," I answered back. I did not want to put more pressure on her when I was only going to be leeching off her.

"Pizza it is then."

Minutes later, the doorbell rang. Jisoo was in the bathroom so I went to open it, stepping back when a familiar face came into view. "Jisso-ya, you always make me work for you don't you?"

He had not noticed that it was me standing at the door and not Jisoo as he dragged in a bed with two people following behind him with wooden planks.

"Do you know how stressful it was for me to get a bed and its stand for you this night?" He queried.

"Oppa!" Jisoo exclaimed as she dashed out of the bathroom, water dripping from her hair while she had managed to trudge on a gown.

I blinked just as Alexander Wang's eyes met mine. Everything seemed to click into place once I closely inspected them both, he was Jisoo's brother.

"Coco?" He was surprised to see me there, and I would not deny that I was shocked myself, learning that he was Jisoo's brother.

"You know Unnie?" Jisoo inquired, stepping out of the way as the two men who had come with Alex went into her room to set up the bed.

Alexander held my gaze at his sister's question. "She is a friend of mine. Is she your new roommate?"

"Yes! This is great! I had no idea you both knew each other. Where did you meet her? Did you attend school with her?"

"Your questions are too much, Jisoo. Go to the room and check out what is being done there. I need to speak to Coco for a while?"

"Me?" I stuttered just as Jisoo headed to the room, leaving me standing face to face with her brother.

"I promised to see you again," he stated, nodding at me.

"This is just a coincidence, you did not seek me out yourself," I argued.

He smiled, cocking his head to a side. "Were you expecting me?"

"I barely even know you."

"Fair point. I never knew you knew Jisoo."

"Three encounters was not enough for you to know everything about me," I pointed out. "I didn't know she was your sister either."

"Small world eh?"

I shrugged. "I should go help them in the room," I excused, starting to walk away.

The familiar feel of his warm hands enveloped mine, gently pulling me back. "Actually, I have something to show you."

I looked down at our intertwined hands, and he let me go at that. "What is it?"

"The new line-up for XL was announced two days ago, they let you out of the team," he stated. More like threw me out.

"That's no news. You already knew that when you met me, did you not?"

"I did. After all you did introduce yourself as former member of the group to me," he said in return.

"What's your point?"

"I know you are not ready to give up just yet," he started. "Even if you want to you should not. You've come a long way to do that.." He paused for effect while I stared on with a bored expression. Alex Wang did not know that I have gone a long way NOT to give up.

"There is an audition at YK."

"I am not going," I declined instantly.

"But—"

"If that is all you have to say then I guess we are done here?"

"I will send the application flier to you," he insisted.

I rolled my eyes. "You do not even have my contact info."

"You can't be so sure."

"I am still not going." I said.

"Oppa, what are you saying to Coco that can't wait? We need you here!" Jisoo yelled, cutting the tension that raked between Xander and I.

"You cannot throw away your dream because of numerous fallouts. You won't know now, but you will regret it soon enough," Xander told me. "You really should check out the audition, Coco." He shook his head and went in to meet his sister.

Maybe it was the words Xander said, or perhaps the way he looked at me like he believed in me, or maybe I was just delusional in my own way to think that all hope was not lost. But I ended up clicking on the flier link when he sent it that night, not even worrying of how he got my number, and with my teeth biting my lips hard, I applied for the audition.

That night, while Jisoo slept, I crept out to the balcony and began my vocal and dance practice. The moon gave my light, and I thought maybe...just maybe fate was on my side.

...