Note
Text that is in Red in the book is spoken in Korea
Chapter 1
I can’t believe I’m actually here, Claire Faroe thought as she clutched her bag to her shoulder, looking up at the towering building in front of her. It was one of the largest talent agencies in South Korea which trained and represented bands, singers, actors, and models famous both nationally and internationally. She had just been hired to work as an English tutor by the agency to help their clients and trainees become more accessible on the international stage. English is the international language and it opens a lot of opportunities for stars if they can speak it. She had worked for the last few years as a tutor at local schools in Seoul before she had been recommended for the position with the company.
The pay would be better but she would have longer hours and perhaps stranger ones. Pop stars, actors, and trainees didn’t keep 9-5 hours and some days they only had free time for studying at ten o’clock at night. Her housing would also be covered by the company, in the neighborhood nearby, making her commute simple as well. She had been told there would be occasional travel required, but that sounded like fun, really. It was a dream job. She loved teaching and she hoped her students would be eager, if not always focused or dedicated.
The automatic doors opened ahead of her and she headed to the information desk to ask where she should head for her first day of work. Thankfully, someone was already there waiting for her.
“안녕하세요![1]” The perky woman from HR greeted her brightly.
“안녕하세요,” Claire replied in accented Korean. She could understand most basic conversations, but limits on her vocabulary made deep conversations a challenge. “I’m Claire, it's nice to meet you.”
“Kim Soohee,” the woman replied, extending a hand to shake. “Let me show you around.”
“Thank you.” Claire accepted a badge and lanyard from the woman before falling into step behind her. The tour led her through multiple floors of studios, practice rooms, offices, meeting rooms, recording rooms, a cafe, cafeteria, and smaller private rooms for private study or just taking a break. The building was huge and slightly intimidating. Everything was sleek and bright and new looking and the halls were filled with startlingly beautiful people. Claire felt slightly out of place but was nonetheless, still pleased by her new work place.
“And last I am going to introduce you to your supervisor,” Soohee said as they rounded a final corner and headed into an office behind a fine, frosted glass door. “Director Lee is responsible for overseeing the education and skill enrichment of the clients and trainees. He will assign you your work and make sure that you are meeting the standards required for your position.”
“Ah I see,” Claire nodded as Soohee knocked lightly on the door before proceeding to open it.
“Come in,” a deep voice boomed from behind. “Mmm, welcome to KXO entertainment. We are very glad to have you join the team. Please sit.”
Claire took a seat in one of the leather armchairs placed on the opposite side of Mr. Lee Oh Sung’s elegant and intimidating wooden desk. It looked like it belonged more in the office of a high official, but it was still suitable for a man of stature at an important company, she supposed.
“Let’s cut straight to your assignment,” Mr. Lee began plainly, clearly indicating that he was a rather plain speaking and down to business sort. “We have an up and coming performance group starting to make a break into the international market and we need someone who can help some of the members improve their English skills for interviews. You will be working with them and have occasional other students assigned to you but for now your focus will be on them. There are five that especially need some help. I’m afraid they keep somewhat odd and unpredictable hours while they are preparing for releases and a tour which will begin in about six months so you will have to be on call and be prepared to work both here and at their dorm when they have the time. There might be other locations you will be called to but mostly it will be one of those two places.”
“Understood, sir,” Claire nodded, feeling like she was disappearing into the large chair and behind the tall desk. “Is there a specific focus you are looking for in their skills, or a place it would be best to start for their upcoming activities?”
“Mmm,” Mr. Lee grumbled slightly behind his desk. “I’ll be sending you schedules for them as we make them so you should change what you work with them on based on what might be useful. There will be music magazines, entertainment shows, beauty interests, teen magazines as a start. We are working to make sure they have a broad appeal and that means they need to be versed in a lot. I’m not expecting miracles or anything overnight, but they need a steady improvement in their skills.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Claire nodded, trying to sit up as tall as possible. “Is there anything I should know about them or the group in general?”
“They are all good boys,” Mr. Lee leaned back in his seat and steepled his fingers at chest level. “It’s an interesting group with some foreign born guys but it is mostly local Korean boys. The foreign boys grew up speaking English and a few of the local boys have also studied abroad, which has given them strong English skills. The rest of them only studied it in school and, well, they weren’t always the most interested students.”
“Ah, of course,” Claire smiled. “They had other skills they were perhaps focused on at the time.”
“Mmm,” Mr. Lee agreed. “I’m hoping that they will find more motivation for the skills now since it is now in line with reaching the goals they have been working towards. If you have any problems with them, tell me and I’ll see to it that they get some correction.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” she reassured him. “I’m happy to work with them when they have time and I’ll try to make it fun enough that it doesn’t just feel like extra work for them.”
“It’s not your job to be friends with them,” He asserted firmly. “However, perhaps coming to be seen as a strict older sister would work well for them. You’re how old again?”
“Twenty-eight,” She replied.
“Yes,” Mr. Lee nodded thoughtfully. “You’re old enough they probably won’t see you as a friend, but you’re also still young enough they won’t see you as being like those of us in management here.”
“I see,” She conceded, beginning to feel slightly nervous about how everything was going to come together. “When am I going to meet them?”
“Ms. Kim will take you to meet them after I am done talking to you.” He confirmed. “They are here at the moment doing some group dance practice. You can meet them there and see when you can get started in working with them either on their own or as a group. Any of them can work with you, even the ones who speak English. If they can help out in getting their friends ready, perhaps help them to practice, all the better. If they don’t, it isn’t a problem, but we like to encourage them to do most things as a group. They have time for themselves, but the more they think of each other as family, the better we think they will do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” She assured him.
“Well, I think that’s all,” Mr. Lee sat up, leaning forward over his desk to hit an intercom button on his desk phone. “Ms. Kim, you can take our new teacher to meet the boys. I’ll check in with you soon, Ms. Faroe. Your transportation, housing, and benefits will all be handled by Ms. Kim and she will be able to give you all the information that you’ll need.”
Mr. Lee shook her hand as Ms. Kim entered to escort her to meet her new students. Claire quickly followed Soo Hee as she made her way down the hall with speedy steps. They made a stop off at her office to gather a folder of information, including Claire’s work contract and materials regarding her housing and transportation options, before continu
ing on to one of the third floor practice studios. They could see flashes of them practicing through the small window in the door as they paused before entering. Soo Hee quietly opened the door and motioned for Claire to follow.
Inside, the room was filled with the sound of shoes smacking and squeaking on the hardwood floor as someone counted beats out loud for the time of the routine they were in the midst of practicing. It took thirty seconds for any of them to notice the new figures that had appeared at the back of the practice room and break their concentration. They turned around, first one, then a couple, and then the rest, to see what it was that had come to interrupt them. The one at the front, a tall sporty looking guy, wound his way back to speak to the new comers.
“Hello…Welcome.” He said in Korean, giving a quick bow from the waist.
“Hello,” Soohee responded, bobbing her head in return. “I would like to introduce you to your new English teacher. She is going to be working with you on your language skills and to help improve your interview skills on your upcoming overseas tour.”
“Our English?” He said with slight puzzlement. “All of us?”
“Yes and no,” Soohee chuckled at his question and tone. “She is here to work with those who need to improve their English, which of course would not include you and a couple of others, but the company feels you would all benefit some from working on your English interview skills as a team in addition to the individual help some of you will be receiving.”
“Ah, yes,” He nodded in agreement.
“Please, introduce yourselves…in English, if you would.” Soohee added the last, seemingly as an afterthought.
“Hello, my name is Park Cheolmin,” he made a small bow towards Claire. “I’m the leader of YTHtonic.”
“Hi, I’m FX,” a second member, who was strikingly beautiful with hair dyed golden blond. “Pleased to meet you.”
“My name is Wonjung,” Another said slightly awkwardly in more broken English.
“Hi, I’m Jaejin, nice to meet you.” This was said by a charming looking member with a chestnut brown mop of hair and an electric smile. Clearly also one of the members who did not need her help.
“Minjun, hello,” A slightly timid one from the back said briefly. He seemed reserved but friendly, and certainly cute.
“I am Kim Changho,” Came a slightly gruff and accented introduction from a tall and broad shouldered guy who seemed to emanate the very definition of bad boy.
“Hello, I am Jeon Hyunwoo,” He sounded keen and amiable as he gave his introduction with an adorable accent.
“Hi hi, I’m Seunghoon,” A wave was added with a friendly smile as he peeked out from behind someone else, standing slightly taller than most of the rest.
“Choi Kitae,” was all the last, and clearly the youngest of them all, managed. He grinned shyly and bobbed his head.
“Hello, I am Claire,” She stepped forward, choosing to introduce herself in Korean as a gesture. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Wonjung, Minjun, Changho, Hyunwoo and Kitae will have to make space in their schedules to meet with her at least three times a week for language practice and the rest of you can join to help out or practice things for yourselves as you choose.” Soohee explained. “Some of your time with her will have to be one on one to work on your personal weaknesses, but working together and as a whole group will be helpful to everyone.”
A murmur buzzed between the members as the new information sunk in and bounced around among them. Some of them looked at her with a hint of suspicion, others with mild interest, and still others with curiosity. Claire stood calmly under the scrutiny of their gazes and continued giving her ambiguous smile. They were older than the students she usually had but she had learned that having an unflappable exterior helped people to trust you.
“Starting today I can be available whenever works with your schedules.” She spoke with a clear voice that was quiet yet forceful enough to kill the nervous chatter of the boys. “I’ll be here today a few doors down, when you are on break, you can come and meet me there. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better and to helping you out as much as I can.”
Soohee nodded and turned to leave the room and Claire followed behind her, holding her folder of information under her arm which was clasped across her waist.
“Hey wait just a second,” Cheol Min piped up, taking a few steps forward to lightly grab Claire’s elbow. “We have a few minutes now if you’d like before you go.”
“If you’d like, that works for me,” Claire grinned up into his face as he stood beside her. Being short, it was natural that she found herself looking up at most everyone around her. The smile she gave was warm as summer and bright as the morning sun, taking him slightly by surprise. Cheol Min dropped his hand and cleared his throat before giving her a half smile back. He took the few steps back to where the rest of the group was gathered with her following slightly behind.
“Where shall we start…” Claire smiled and looked around at all of the faces in front of her. They were all strikingly handsome in their own way, even when they weren’t made up and camera ready. “Do the five of you Ms. Kim mentioned have half an hour or so today to talk and just give me an idea of where you are starting?”
Directing her gaze to meet the five faces of the members most in need of help. Wonjung looked at her with a reserved composure in his dark eyes. Minjun looked back at her and then looked at the faces of his bandmates, seemingly looking to them for direction. Hyunwoo looked slightly uncertain but gave her a curious look with his lowered eyes. Kitae looked adorably lost as to what it was someone expected of him at the moment, reminding her, for all the world, like a puppy confronted with something mysterious for the first time. Changho looked back at her with a slight sneer that looked more suspicious than anything else. Surprisingly, it was Changho among them who spoke first.
“I can go,” He said curtly, but making an effort. “After dance practice. I can go.”
“I look forward to it,” She beamed at him, seeing a softening in his tough, bad boy exterior.
“I can too,” Kitae offered next, looking like a child who had just been offered his favorite ice cream. “After Changho, then me.”
“Alright, I’ll come and find you, ok?” She reached out and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Yes,” he replied quickly in Korean without thinking.
“I can come after dinner,” Wonjung offered with a nod.
“Good, thank you.” She responded.
“I can come, too,” Hyunwoo smiled. “Next I can go.”
“I can go when it's ok for you,” Minjun shrugged. “I can go when you want.”
“Ok, I’ll come get you some time between everyone else.” She agreed. “Thank you for making some time for me so quickly. I understand that this was a surprise for you all. I can give all of you my number once it's activated and we can figure out more time. Here, at your dorms, when you have an hour at a studio between things, whatever. I can come to you. If, for some reason, I can’t make it in the time you have, we can work on having some video chats or something. I won’t keep you any longer from your practice. I’ll be in room 3011. 안녕[2]!”
They all parroted back her good-bye and gave her a quick bow as she turned back with a wave when she pulled the door closed behind her. They milled around for a moment, eyes on the door she had disappeared through, before Cheol Min broke the silence by calling them back to practice.
When they finished about an hour later and everyone was starting to pack up their things and head out to shower and change, Cheol Min approached Changho.
“Hey, would you mind if I talked to the new teacher before you for just a few minutes?” Cheol Min questioned. “Just take your time changing. I don’t think I’ll take that long.”
“Yeah, why not,” Changho shrugged, stuffing his hand towel into his bag. Cheol Min nodded and gave his friend a gentle pat on the shoulder as he turned around and grabbed his own bag and headed to the door. Taking
a quick left in the hall, he made his way to the door of the small study and meeting space. He could see her through the window in the door as he approached. She was seated at a table pushed against a wall to one side. A few papers were spread out over the desk which she was reading intently. He paused for a second at the door with a smile; she was really cute. He had noticed, of course, when Ms. Kim had first brought her in to meet them all, but he had a second to appreciate it now. She was small, barely reaching his shoulder, with red hair coiled up in a braided bun on the back of her head. She was wearing a button up shirt and grey pants with a faint checked pattern to it and a pair of low heeled Mary Janes with a cheery cartoon puppy motif. Somehow she managed to look both professional and adorable at the same time without compromising either.
“Hello,” he greeted her as he opened the door after making a couple of light knocks on the door to announce himself.
“Oh, hello, you’re not who I was expecting,” She smiled at him and stood up, motioning towards a chair that had been left against the wall opposite from the table.
“Yeah, I just wanted to, I don’t know, ask what I can do to help out?” Cheol proposed, slightly awkwardly. He took a seat in the chair against the wall and fidgeted momentarily as she brought her chair closer to him and turned it to face him.
“I appreciate that,” She said approvingly. “Any help that I can get I’m happy to take.”
“I’ll do what I can,” He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
“So I’m really hoping that I can make a lot of this something fun for people,” She looked into his eyes as she began to explain. “I know that there will have to be some sessions that are more like lessons, but I think making it something where everyone can learn and use English more casually will also help it come out more naturally. When I have a better idea of what sorts of questions you will probably be having come up with interviews and such, I can come up with something fun around those topics to do.”
The Tutor Page 1
