| Fan Fiction |
by Autumn Letter
I’m the quiet type, you could say. Shy and timid are what you might think of me at first sight. I’m in writer’s craft, a class solely devoted to reading and creating literature pieces: poems, songs, books, you name it. I’m not much of a talker, so I let my writing do the talking for me.
The class is rowdy as usual and I turn around in my seat and look around. In the back of the room I see Mr. Lee talking to a person, a male probably in his late teens, early twenties maybe.
“Oh,” I mutter to myself, “So this is the musical guest Mr. Lee was talking about.”
I can see the guitar strapped to his back, but I can’t see his face behind all that honey coloured hair.
I turn back around and continue tapping my pencil on the desk’s surface, creating that beat I couldn't get out of my head.
Tap, tap, tap…
“Okay class, settle down! Jeez you guys are like a bunch of monkeys today!” Mr. Lee jokes.
The class laughs.
“I have someone really special today, his name is Kim Jaejoong and he’s going to tell us about himself.”
The class applauds and the guy goes towards the front. He claims an empty seat in the first row and sits on the desk with a guitar resting on his knee.
He smiles and I see two girls giggle.
‘He’s cute,’ I hear my mind say, and I laugh to myself because it’s true. Really, really true.
“My name is Kim Jaejoong, as you already know,” he says, “People call me Hero because it’s my middle name and I thought it sounded cool so I use it as my stage name.”
I laugh quietly.
“I’m a local musician and I play at night clubs all across this city. I’m twenty years old, and my motto is: “Make a life not a living.”
There was something right from the start. I could feel it. The way his sentences were so sharp and straight forward and how he kept everyone hanging on his entire speech. He was so charismatic, so talented, so beautiful.
But no. I was not going to let myself believe in such trivial things such as love at first sight.
I was a bit envious, though. I always loved music but I never got a chance to strive for it. I was never one of those people who strived for perfection. Yes, I was hardworking – extremely hardworking, but there was never a goal in mind for me. Nothing worthy enough for me to pour my life into. I just went with the flow.
Grandma always wanted me to become nurse. Grandpa was sick so it would be incredibly useful, right?
I ran my fingers through my brown hair. I didn't want to think about my life right now... It was so incredibly average.
I directed my attention back to Hero who was getting ready to play a song.
"I wrote this song for my ex-girlfriend. It's called Hey Girl."
He started playing and I heard the hush that fell across the room. The beautiful melody drifted in the air and I wondered how strings on a guitar could sound so beautiful, wondering what in the world would be more beautiful.
And then he started singing.
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After Hero's presentation to the class the bell rang but I decided to meet him. I was so charmed that I wanted get to know him right then. I wanted to show him my songs, my lyrics. I wanted him to hear and be impressed by what I could do.
But when I stood up from my desk, here was surrounded by a swarm of girls and I felt sick.
I did not want to be a fan girl.
So I left.
And as I walked the hallway, a single thought crossed my mind: I might not see him again.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Hey poopie-pants," said a bubbly girl.
"Seul gi~!" I whined still feeling the impact of today's musical guest, "I saw heaven today!"
Yeon Hee sat down beside me, "What, you died?"
I sighed loudly, "I wish I did."
I looked at my two best friends and sighed again.
"Jeez, what's wrong with you?" Seul gi asked in the midst of sipping her coffee.
"Do you guys know who Hero is?" I asked.
They looked at each other, confused. I could see their eyebrows scrunch together under the dim lighting of the cafe.
"We had a musical guest today in class... and he was awesome!"
They didn't seem fazed.
"Whoever he is, he's probably just another wannabe singer." Yeon hee said, "I bet you, your 100x better."
"No, no, no, no, no!" I said waving my hands in front of thier faces to show major emphasis, "This guy is the shiz. You have no idea."
As much as I appreciated their support for me and my non-existant musical life, I wanted them to know how good this guy really was.
"C'mon, BoA, even if this guy 'is the shiz' your probably just as good, if anything."
I sighed for the third time and decided to give up until I could show them for real.
"Alright, alright..." I said putting down the french vanilla after drinking it, "but... you suck."
Seul gi rolled her midnight coloured eyes,"Of course I suck, I'll let you have that one because it's the only insult you have against me."
...and it was true. I really wasn't good with my words.
I stared at the checkered tiles on the floor. We have been coming to this coffee shop since the beginning of high school and soon we'll be reaching the end. I really will miss this spot: right in the corner, protected by a wall of flowers and vines. After four years it has harboured our feelings. When Seul Gi's parents divorced, she cried and we talked about it here. When Yeon hee broke up with her on and off boyfriend, Kim Junsu, we were here. But, I never really had a reason to cry here... not yet anyway.
I roll up my sleeves to reveil my watch and I'm late for dance class.
"I have to go guys!" I chime, throwing all my books into the sidebag Seul gi and Yeon hee got me for my birthday, "If you need me, call me."
"Hey wait!" Yeon hee says before I run out of the cafe, "what are you doing after dance?"
"I'm working!" I say and then leave.
I know what they're thinking. I could actually hear Seul gi's disapproving voice in my head.
'Your working way too hard! Work, school, dance, volleyball, hospital volunteering? And not to mention taking care of your grandparents! You'll kill yourself... not that I'm complaining!' She'll joke.
I sped walk down the street and admired the beauty of downtown. Sure it's busy but I love the whole feel of it. Everyone's out doing their thing. The trees have lights in them and there is also a huge fountain near the bus stops. Along the sidewalks are lamposts and fancy benches. Romantic much?
Upon reaching the studio, I throw a dollar into a homeless man's torn hat. I go into the building and the two other dancers are there practicing before me. I drop my side bag and rip off my sweater, and switch from my flats to my red converses.
"Sorry! Sorry!" I apologize hopping into the routine, mid song. I feel the beat and the rhythm as we dance to Hyori's toc toc toc. I was never so sure about anything in my life. I love dancing and singing. If I could do it for the rest of my life I would.
I did a spin and felt the wind kiss the back of my neck. Peering into my reflection I could tell I was made for dancing. My body flowed in sync with the other dancers.
My body will do the talking right now. After finishing the song, the next came on. It was one of my own.
My Name.
I'm not entirely sure what came over me when I made it. I made the song from a program I downloaded from the internet. I just cut and pasted sound clips together,
recorded my voice and tada!
This one was more... I'm embarrassed to say it: Sexy. When I taught it to the girls, they said it was one of the hottest songs they've ever danced to. And I'm not sexy,
I'm shy. Nobody - besides the girls and my best friends - know I dance.
After the dance it was time to go to work. I looked out the window and saw the setting sun.
"Looks like I'll be working late again."
I made a mental to-do list in my head:
1. Work until midnight
2. Go home check on grandpa and give him meds
3. Homework
"Bye!" I say as I leave the studio. The girls wave back.
The homeless man is gone. I hope he put my dollar to good use. It's so easy to spend money but so hard to make.
I'm working the night shift at a restaurant as a waitress. I've had this job since I was 13 so I'm pretty used to it now.
Darker and darker the sky gets as I check my text messages in my phone. I get one from Seul gi: Take it easy, we luv u!~
I smile. A little support is all I need.
As I step into the back door of the restaurant, I tie on my black apron and reach for my notepad and off to work for next four hours.
There were some familiar faces, others I didn't know so I was especially nice to them. I got their order, and delivered food to the tables. It was a good job and the tip was good too.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I wipe beads of sweat from my forehead, but I'm satisfied as the hours reach closing time. After giving the tables a final wipe I take off my apron and set my notepad aside. I counted up my hours for the week and was genuinely excited for payday. It was a busy week.
"See you later miss!" I say to my boss.
"Get home safe!"
I hear the familar click from the back door of the restaurant and I begin to venture home.
It was a tiring day, and even when the day has ended my schedule continues.
The night is cool and refreshing and the trees are all lit up. Happy couples walk the streets, arms linked and I'm a little envious.
"No boyfriend right now." I tell myself,"I have no time."
And then I heard him singing...
My heart pounds and I wonder why. I face the bar across the street. People gather as the musician plays his song on the patio deck. Louder and louder my heart pounds, and I still don't know why. I feel my feet moving inches closer and closer to the road so I can cross it. But I stop myself. I have a schedule. Grandpa needs me.
'Grandpa's sleeping at this time anyway.' My mind is yelling at me. I'm shivering... but it's not cold. I shaking and there's no earthquake. What is going on? I've never felt this way before.
Love at first sight my butt. Cliche much?
But at that moment, at that very moment in my life, I finally understood those sappy love songs...