Chapter 4
702 Words
Hope's POV
"Hope, we're finally here!" Juliet screamed as we disembarked from the airplane.
"Calm down, Juliet," I said, letting out a small laugh.
We walked to the baggage claim to collect our luggage. After that, we headed to our hotel.
While Juliet and I were unpacking some of our things, my phone buzzed. It was a message from my parents.
"Hope, where are you?"
I quickly replied to the message from my mother.
"Hi, Mom. I'm in Korea with Juliet. Sorry for not letting you know."
A few minutes later, my phone buzzed again.
"That's okay. Take care and enjoy."
I put my phone down after reading my mom's message.
Imagine that. They didn't even question why I was in another country. They only care about the hospital and themselves.
"Hope, should we go out, explore a bit, and have dinner?" Juliet's question brought me back to reality.
I smiled at her and nodded. We started getting ready before heading out.
---
At a Korean Restaurant
"어서 오세요! 한국 바비큐에 오신 것을 환영합니다!"
("Welcome! Welcome to Korean BBQ!")
"Hope, look at all the food! Oh my gosh, there's so much!" I could see her eyes sparkle with excitement as she looked around.
We took our seats and looked at the menu. There were so many options. We placed our orders and enjoyed our meal.
After dinner, we looked for a coffee shop near our hotel so we could relax for a while before heading back to get a good night's rest.
---
At the Coffee Shop
While Juliet was looking for a table, I stood in line to order. Suddenly, a guy wearing sunglasses and a black cap cut in front of me.
"Excuse me?" I said.
The stranger simply looked at me and started ordering.
"Excuse me, didn't your parents teach you any manners?" I said loudly.
He turned to look at me, but before he could say anything, I heard a young woman scream.
"AHHHHH! IT'S KIYAN!!!"
I heard him curse under his breath before running out the door.
Lucky me, I guess.
I placed our order and asked the staff what had just happened.
"Oh, that's Kiyan. He's a famous K-pop artist," she said with a smile as she handed me my order.
I thanked her, found Juliet, and sat down.
"What was that about?" Juliet asked.
I told her what had happened at the counter, and she laughed a little.
"Imagine if you get into that K-pop agency. You'll have fans like that too," she joked.
When I thought about it, what Juliet said was true. Still, I hoped tomorrow would go well.
"We'll see tomorrow, Juliet..." I smiled at her and started enjoying our drinks.
---
The Next Day – Jewel Talent Agency
Juliet and I stared at the building and the huge crowd.
So this is what a K-pop audition looks like.
There was so much competition that I started to feel sick to my stomach.
Juliet gave me a gentle push, bringing me back to reality.
I looked at her with a questioning expression, and she gave me a wide smile.
"Stop worrying, Hope. You can do this."
"And besides, it's better to try than spend the rest of your life wondering, 'What if?'"
Honestly, bringing Juliet on this trip was one of the best decisions I had ever made. She always kept me grounded.
While we were waiting in line, a middle-aged man approached us.
"Hello. I'm James Park," he said with a polite bow before extending his hand for a handshake.
I bowed slightly and shook his hand. He smiled back at me.
"I noticed you among everyone here, and if I'm not mistaken, you must be Jane Hope Jimenez," he said while checking the list on the clipboard he was holding.
Juliet and I exchanged glances, unsure whether we should answer his question.
Just by looking at us, he seemed to understand what we were thinking.
"You don't need to worry. I work for Jewel Talent Agency," he said as he showed us his ID and business card.
Seeing that, I simply nodded in response.
- Writer
