When I arrived at the subway entrance near Daehak-ro where we were supposed to meet, Ua Unni was already there waiting.
I crept up behind her so she wouldn't see me and spoke in the lowest voice I could.
"Hello, it's just that you're exactly my type."
"Huh?"
Unni turned around, confirmed it was me, and answered with a smile.
"Ah, sorry~ I have a boyfriend."
"Ah, seeing your face, you're not my type after all. Have a beautiful love life."
"Ah, what the heck, you should ask me one more time!"
"Sorry. Since you're not my type..."
But for some reason, Unni's face looked different from usual today.
"What, Unni, are you wearing makeup?"
"Yeah, why? Is it bad?"
"No, that's not it, but it's my first time seeing it. You've never come to the practice room wearing makeup."
"Of course I went comfortably when going to practice. Today I'm here to have fun. Dohui, have you ever tried makeup?"
"What does an elementary schooler need makeup for?"
"I wore it even when I was an elementary schooler, though?"
True, these days if you go to school, all the girls, including Sujin, come wearing makeup.
What do you mean, elementary schoolers wearing makeup.
"I'm pretty even with just sunscreen on, so I don't need to do that stuff."
Unni clung to me, hugging me as she spoke.
"Right, our Dohui is pretty even without makeup."
"So where are we going?"
"It's my first time here too, so I don't really know."
True, how much could a middle school first-year have been around?
Of course, it was my first time too.
"Then let's just start with lunch."
"Let's do that~"
"What do you want to eat, Unni?"
"I'm fine with anything. Let's eat whatever Dohui wants."
Anything? I just named the first place I saw.
"Then let's eat gukbap over there."
"Hmm... sorry, I ate gukbap for breakfast..."
"Gukbap for breakfast?"
"Yeah."
Did she drink and have it as a hangover cure or something?
Well, eating the same thing again as breakfast would be a bit much.
I searched for famous restaurants near Daehak-ro on my phone.
"Then there's a famous pork cutlet place near here, let's go there."
"Ah... pork cutlet. Can't we have something other than pork cutlet? I'm watching my weight these days, so fried food is a bit..."
Well... she'd only been eating low-calorie foods at the agency recently because she kept gaining weight.
"Fine, then pick something you can eat."
"No, you pick, Dohui. I really don't care. As long as it's not what you mentioned so far."
"It's really anything this time, right?"
"Yeah!"
I pointed at a Japanese restaurant among the search results and spoke.
"How about sushi here? It doesn't look bad."
"Sorry, I can't eat fishy things. Just exclude that one thing."
"Then just starve."
I just left Unni behind and walked toward the gukbap restaurant alone.
"Aww, sorry. I'll really go anywhere."
*Sigh.*
I should just take her to a place girls would like.
"Ha... let's just eat pasta. Is this okay?"
"Yeah!"
Unni giggled.
She's practically dying of joy, sheesh.
We arrived at the pasta restaurant, sat down, and started picking food while looking at the menu.
"Dohui, what are you going to order?"
"I'm fine with anything."
"Aww, sorry~ I won't say 'anything' next time."
"Then I'll have the Shanghai pasta."
"Got it! I'll have the rosé pasta. We don't need to order pizza, do we?"
When I was a guy, I wouldn't have been full even after eating pizza with pasta, but now that I'm a girl, I'm stuffed with just pasta.
"It's fine, just order pasta."
"Okaay~"
After ordering food, we talked about what to do after eating.
"Dohui, where should we go after eating?"
"Don't you have anything you want to do, Unni? You're the one who asked to meet."
"I'm happy just walking around with Dohui~"
"Then let's just stop by a nearby cafe, eat dessert, look around at what's there while walking, and then go to a coin karaoke."
"Yeah, let's do that, hehe."
Every time our eyes met, Unni giggled, and I could really feel how much she liked me.
Well, I like Unni too, but.
True, even when I looked in the mirror and met my own eyes, the corners of my lips unknowingly turned up; how could I blame Unni?
I have too many sins.
Too many sins~
"Oh right, Unni, you know our company is holding auditions for new trainees soon? I heard applications open on the website starting next month."
"I know~ It'll be fun if new trainees come in quickly and we all take lessons together."
They're all competitors in the end, but it seems Unni isn't worried at all.
I don't know what level the incoming trainees will be, but Unni has such a gentle personality that I'm not sure she can properly compete.
I saw online that trainees fight intensely for dominance; what am I going to do with Unni?
Soon after, the food came out.
"Let's dig in."
"Dohui, wait! Let me take some pictures first."
Unni took out her phone and started taking pictures of the food.
"Unni, are you on Instagram?"
Since we're trainees, the company banned SNS because if we slip up, we could end up in scandals later.
"No?"
"Then why are you taking food pictures?"
"Because it's pretty, duh."
I've been living as a girl for 12 years now, but I still don't understand.
If it were to post on SNS, I'd get it, but if not, why take them?
After the meal.
Unni and I decided to walk to the famous cafe we'd looked up earlier to help digestion.
While walking to the cafe, Unni wasn't beside me.
'What the, where'd she go?'
I turned around and saw Unni standing in front of an accessory street stall.
"Dohui, look at this. Isn't this ring really cute?"
"It's just okay."
"Want to get friendship rings with me?"
"Why would we do friendship rings? It's a waste of money."
"Aww~ let's do it~ huh?"
*Sigh,* just like a kid.
"Ajumma, how much is this?"
"Twenty thousand won for two!"
They look really cheap, but they're expensive.
Plus, looking at the sign, it said 'Cash and bank transfer only.'
When I kept staring at the ajumma, perhaps feeling awkward, she spoke.
"Well, if such a pretty baby wants to buy it, I have to give a discount. Just give me 18,000 won~"
She took off exactly the amount of the VAT.
"I'll do a bank transfer."
I was earning money as a trainee anyway, so I figured I'd buy it thinking of it as playing with a kid.
"Dohui, I'll buy it!"
Unni took out 18,000 won from her wallet.
What money does a kid have.
"I'm the one who said I'd buy it, so I'll buy it. Hm?"
"Fine, do whatever."
I'll pay for the cafe then.
After buying the rings, we were walking back to the cafe when Unni disappeared again.
What else is she trying to buy?
I turned around, and this time she was stopped by some guy.
"Can I get your number? I really like you."
Looking at his face, he seemed like a college student.
Unni seemed flustered, perhaps because it was her first time experiencing this.
At this rate, she's going to give him her number.
"Unni, what are you doing."
"Well... he asked for my number."
"Excuse me."
"Yeah?"
Yeah is informal speech.
"Yes, my sister is a first-year middle schooler. Please leave."
Even though she looks a bit mature with makeup today, even if you stretch it, she's a high schooler at best. You want to be that guy?
"Ah, I'm sorry."
The man apologized several times and left.
"I was really scared."
"What's scary? Next time someone asks for your number, just say sorry. Are you going to be like that even after you debut?"
"Won't Dohui block them for me then too?"
"We haven't even decided if we'll debut together."
I took care of Unni again and headed for the cafe.
We hadn't gotten far when someone called out to me this time.
"Excuse me."
It's so hard to get to a cafe.
What is it this time?
I turned around and answered.
"Yes? Me?"
Some middle-aged man was looking at me.
No way, is this mister trying to pick me up?
No way~
Anyone can see I'm an elementary schooler.
"Yes, you, student. Are you interested in the entertainment industry by any chance?"
As expected, it wasn't a pickup but a street casting.
I'd finally surpassed Dad's number of castings.
It's a historic day.
I have to brag when I get home.
"Sorry. I'm not interested."
"You're really not interested? A student like you absolutely has to become a celebrity."
"I'm sorry."
"If your friend next to you auditions with you, both of you will pass, so why don't you at least try an audition?"
"I'm sorry. I'm really not interested."
I took Unni's hand and turned around.
But the man didn't seem ready to give up and followed us, speaking.
"Student, don't be like that. Can you at least give me your number?"
I should just tell him.
"Actually, both my sister and I already have separate companies."
"Ah, really? Which company?"
We're non-public trainees, so I can't tell him which company.
"I'm sorry."
The man sighed and took out a business card from his inner pocket.
"Our company normally doesn't reveal which company it is when casting, but I'm telling you because it's such a shame."
On the business card, it was written like this:
'JS Entertainment New Talent Development Team Casting Director Hwang Taegyun'
Oh.
If it's JS Entertainment, it's one of the Big Four agencies?
I have to brag twice when I get home.
"Dohui, let me see too."
I handed the business card to Unni.
"Wow! It's JS!"
The man smiled at Unni's reaction and answered.
"That's right, JS. Work with us."
Should I at least hear the contract terms?
That would be too much of a scoundrel.
I have loyalty to my agency.
"Still, I'm sorry."
"No, what company is it? Is it another Big Four agency? ZY? Haru? Repeuro?"
"I can't tell you that either... I'm sorry. Let's go, Unni."
Score.
I'll have a story to tell when I debut later.
Turning around and heading back to the cafe, Unni seemed to have lingering regrets.
"Wow, JS is such a shame."
"What's there to regret? Our agency is good too."
"But it's one of the Big Four agencies."
"Then we'll debut and make ours one of the Big Five."
"Really?"
"Yeah, so worry about practicing hard and debuting."
"Yeah!"
.
.
.
After hanging out with Ua Unni, I arrived home.
"I'm back~!"
Doa came out first and welcomed me.
"Sis, you're back?"
"Yeah, I even bought a delicious cake for our Doa~"
"Sis is the best!"
Mom and Dad don't even show their faces though their daughter is home.
"Where are Mom and Dad?"
"They're in the bedroom."
I opened the bedroom door and went in.
"What are you doing that you don't come out when your daughter is home..."
Dad and Mom were lying on the bed, and Dad was using his arm as a pillow for Mom.
Why are they like this starting from the evening?
"Oh, you're back, daughter?"
Dad said.
"Aren't you ashamed in front of your daughter? Hugging since early evening."
Mom, who had been lying quietly watching TV and eating snacks, said.
"What's there to be ashamed of, we're a married couple."
"Why are you eating snacks at dinnertime, Mom? You're going to ruin your appetite."
"Is it already that late? Doa must be hungry. I have to make dinner quickly."
"Is only Doa hungry? What about me?"
"Dohui too~ happy? So, did our princess have fun?"
"Hehe..."
Mom looked at me making that strange smile again and said.
"Here she goes again. Tell me, what is it this time."
"Behold, this business card."
Mom took the card from me and spoke in a loud voice.
"Oh my! This is JS? Is it real?"
"Hehe, Dad's casting count is but one. But Lee Dohui? A whopping two times from a major agency. Comparison? No. Praise? Yes."
"So what did you say?"
"What do you mean, what did I say? I said sorry and came back. Why? Because Lee Dohui is a girl of loyalty."
"Good job. The company treats you so well, of course you have a conscience."
"I'm just receiving treatment befitting my ability. It's simply Lee Dohui's loyalty."
*Sigh* Though she's my daughter, I really don't know why she acts like this."
"Mom, are you jealous?"
"*Sigh.*"
The next day.
Because my tactless Ua Unni blabbed that I got street-cast by JS Entertainment, when I went to the company, I had a meeting with Team Leader Jeong Sohyeon and Director I Jeonghye of Singer Management.
I'm telling you, I like this company, so I'm not going anywhere.