Chapter 6

“Sierra-shi, kwaench’ana?” the lady asked me. I must have looked pale or something, from the shock.

“Kwaench’ana,” I smiled. Was this a freaky coincidence, or was it simply fate? I’m about to sign a contract with the same company Han Geng was with. This was too surreal.

5 minutes later, I was sitting in the office of the Recruitment Manager, reading through the contract. It was a 2 year contract, the pay looked good, accommodations were provided and I had 16 days off each year. Medical was covered, so was dental; all in all, a pretty good package. I signed my name on the last page and was presented with another document.

“What’s this for?” I asked the manager.

“It’s a non-disclosure agreement.”

A non-disclosure agreement was an agreement where I’d have to agree to keep all company matters within the company. Company matters such as information of upcoming projects, plans and anything that would harm the company or benefit competitors if I revealed them. I glanced through quickly and signed it. There wasn’t much I could protest anyway. If I didn’t sign it, I wouldn’t get the job; simple as that.

“You’ll be taken to your accommodations,” he said as I got up to leave.

“Kamsahamnida,” I smiled.

“Welcome to the SM family,” he said.

SM had rented a 1 room studio apartment about half an hour away from SM’s offices for me. It was small, cozy and modern. Definitely better than what I was used to back in China. There was a twin sized bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a bar complete with high stools which served as a dining table, a little kitchen area, a bathroom and also a laundry room with a small washing machine. The rent for such an apartment would not be cheap since it came with so many amenities.

“We need to go to the hospital,” the lady said.

“The hospital?”

“The company requires that you undergo a medical examination, and after that, there is someone you need to meet.”

“Can I just have a minute to freshen up, then?” I asked her.

“Sure.”

I quickly unpacked my toiletries and walked into the bathroom. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, combed my hair and reapplied my makeup. As I did all that, I wondered who the person I needed to meet was. Was he in the hospital? I walked out 15 minutes later to find the lady patiently waiting.

“I’m ready,” I said, and we left the apartment.

I had to take a blood test, a urine test and a chest x-ray. All these were part of the basic medical examination. After my x-ray had been taken, the lady led me towards a ward.

“May I know who I’m meeting?” I asked her.

“The trainer you’re replacing,” she replied. I wonder what happened to him.

We walked in and there was a guy sitting up on a bed, with his leg in a cast.

“Bum Su-shi,” the lady said, “This is your replacement, Sierra.”

“Annyeonghaseyo,” I bowed.

“Thanks,” he smiled. “I’ll just take a few minutes to update her,” he said and the lady walked out.

“Erm… what exactly happened to you, Bum Su-shi?” I asked him.

“Just call me oppa,” he smiled. “Skip the formalities.”

“Okay.”

“I was involved in a car accident, and I will not be able to be on my feet for the next 6 months. That’s why SM requested for you so urgently,” he said.

“I see.”

“Here,” he said as he handed me a file.

“What’s this?”

“These are notes of all the training and choreography I’ve done so far,” he said as I flipped through the file. “I’m currently training a 12 member band called Super Junior. You will see them tomorrow. Videos of all the choreography I’ve done are available in the training room. I suggest you take the time to watch them.”

“When will this band debut?”

“In November. You have a tough job ahead of you since you’ll need to choreograph their first video as well.”

“Wow… How do you even know what I can do it? And SM just hired me like that?”

“You came highly recommended,” he smiled.

I walked after the room after he was done briefing me and I collided into a guy’s chest.

“Choesonghamnida,” I said and I stepped aside to let him pass. As I did, I looked up, and I was startled when I saw who it was.

“Sierra?” Han Geng said, as he looked at me questioningly.

I turned and started walking off as fast as I could.

“Sierra!” I heard him call after me, and I broke into a run.

I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t ready to see him again, and I couldn’t trust myself to stay calm enough to talk to him. The past year without him was agonizing, and when I saw his face, I felt my heart aching. It just sort of stopped and then it started aching. I thought I’d gotten over him. I thought the pain had dulled inside me, but it hadn’t. The memories of us came rushing back to me, and I felt consumed and suffocated.

That night, I lay awake and stared into the darkness of my room. I was nervous about tomorrow’s training session with the band. At the same time, I was still thinking of Han Geng. His expression on his face earlier at the hospital mirrored mine. He was as shocked as I am. What was he doing there?

Fatigue finally got the better of me, and I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning to the incessant ringing of my alarm. It took me a moment to remember that I was now in Korea. I stretched slowly in bed and rolled off onto the floor. In about an hour, I will be meeting Super Junior. I wonder if they’d accept me.

I stood in the training room nervously, while waiting for Super Junior to arrive. At about 9am, they started filing in. They were all taller than me, I cringed. How was I going to manage them?

“Omo!” a very slim and pretty guy exclaimed as he rubbed his eyes. “Hyung,” he nudged one of them. “Is that a girl? We have a girl trainer?”

“Don’t be rude, Hee Chul,” the guy said. “Annyeonghaseyo, Ee Teuk-imnida,” he bowed.

“I’m Hee Chul,” the pretty one said.

And soon all of them started introducing themselves; Kang In, Sung Min, Eun Hyuk, Ye Sung, Ki Bum, Ryeo Wook, Dong Hae, Si Won and Shin Dong. Bum Su oppa had told me to work closely with Shin Dong, since he had the most choreography inputs.

“Naneun Sierra-imnida, pangapseumnida. I will be your trainer and choreographer until Bum Su oppa is fit enough to rejoin us.”

As the guys whooped and cheered, I counted the number of the members present. There was one missing.

“Is there someone who isn’t here yet?” I asked.

“That would be Han Kyung,” Si Won said. “He’s running a little late today.”

“There he is,” Dong Hae exclaimed as a tall, slim figure walked in.

“Mian…” he said as he walked in, then he froze. I was frozen when I saw him too. Han Kyung turned out to be Han Geng, my Han Geng, from Beijing. No wonder the name had sounded familiar.

“Ah… she got to you too, didn’t she,” Hee Chul laughed and patted Han Geng on the back. “Pardon him, Sierra. He’s obviously never seen a pretty girl before.”

“Sierra?” Han Geng repeated.

“Nae, Sierra-imnida,” I said in as neutral a tone as I could muster. “Nice to meet you, Han Kyung.”