Mitsu arrived at the company to go meet jyp, her mother's friend who agreed to help her.
She looked around in awe at the size of the building, following the man who picked her up at the airport and drove her here. Who was now leading her to meet jyp.
After some walking they, stopped in front of a big double door, and the man leading her knocked the door this must jyp office. mitsu assumed from the big doors, and ceiling. It was so grand. She was so immersed in the building, until
Hearing a man's voice at the other end speaking in Korean.
the man she was following, opened the door.
Mitsu held the necklace she was wearing, playing with it, feeling nervous as she followed the man inside. she had a habit of playing with her necklace or ring or bracelet, whenever feeling nervous or scared.
She entered the room, it was so big it had two couches, a desk in front of it two chairs.
Jyp, mitsu assumed was sitting on the couch.
And then looked at them smiling wildly, then he greeted her and began talking to her in Korean.
Not understanding anything expect his greeting. because mitsu doesn't speak Korean, she only knows certain words from watching k-dramas, but she cannot exchange a conversation with a Korean person.
The man with her seeing that she looked lost, he told jyp that she doesn't understand Korean. then jyp 'ah' and nodded his head in understanding, then began speaking in English.
"haha, sorry for talking in Korean" he laughed lightly apologizing,
"no, no its okay" mitsu assured as she waved her hands smiling politely.
"come, sit" jyp smiled back, inviting her to sit, both jyp and the man, which she still doesn't know his name sat down next to each other, and mitsu sat down in the couch facing them.
mitsu held both her hands together on her lap as she kept biting her bottom lips, feeling very anxious and nervous.
Jyp talked to the man in Korean, and the man nodded his head and got up, Mitsu's eyes following his movement, and when he turned to her looking at her, she quickly looked down, not wanting him to know that she was looking at him.
She was looking at him unconsciously, curios who is he? He is so quite. she didn't even know his name even though she has been following him all day.
at first she thought that he was the very tall and quite driver who was to pick her up and drive her here, but when she saw that he entered the room with her and he sat down with them, she got really curious,
"Do you want something to drink?" she heard the mysterious man saying, she looked back at him "no, thank you" she shook her head, he then left the room, her eyes still following him, he is really tall as she looked at his back
"He may seem quite, but he is really friendly once you get to know him" she looked back at jyp to see him smiling with his eyes closed.
now it was only her and jyp, wait.. once I get to know him? Mitsu asked herself, am I going to be associated with him?, jyp seeing the confused look on her face,
"Oh, he didn't tell you?" jyp questioned looking at her, "no, I don't even know his name" she shook her head slowly, jyp face became serious as he sighed, mitsu got worried by his sudden change of facial expression,
"Okay, let us get to the point" jyp said, his fingertips touching as his elbows rested on his knees, "your mother is a good friend of mine, and she told me what is going on, do you know?" he asked staring at her, she nodded her head 'yes', "okay, so you know what your mother asked me to do for you. That is to keep you hidden, and protected and not alone at all, while still being able to live freely, continuing your studies" he continued.
But got interrupted by the 'mysterious' man according to mitsu, as they both looked at him, he was holding three drinks in his hands, and mitsu wondered how can he hold three drinks?
and the man put a drink in front of jyp, and her, mitsu thanked him softly, he didn't say anything as he sat down, mitsu was pretty sure he didn't hear her.
Jyp took a sip, and told her to drink also, she took a sip to not be rude as the 'mysterious' man has gone his way to bring them, she took a sip and it was coffee, ice americano to be precise, she hated bitter things, so when she tasted the liquid she frowned, eyes shut and eyebrows furrowed,
"hahaha, so I take it you're not a fan of coffee" jyp laughed, mitsu opened her eyes quicker feeling embarrassed "I'm sorry I'm not fond of bitter things" she bowed her head lightly, and she turned to the 'mysterious' man and bowed to him too,
He was smiling amused at her reaction, jyp chucked. His face became serious as he continued.
"with some thinking, I've found the best way to keep all of your mother's conditions…..so you're going to be living with a band that works for my company, because that way you are not alone at all, and hidden from sights as the dorms locations are very protected from the media, and you will be working under my name, so others will see you as another staff, which I have hundreds." jyp explained,
"not that they'll see you a lot, since your job is to be a house maid, that is the best option, so will not need to go out every day all day" jyp continued.
Mitsu not liking the idea that she will be living with others, since she was in introvert person, she doesn't feel comfortable around new people, and now especially idols,
'ugh' mitsu not liking the idea at all, "do I have to live with them? I mean I can go to the dorms very early" mitsu tried negotiating.
"I'm sorry but your mom told me to not let you live alone at all" jyp explained, as he saw her shoulders drooping, he sighed feeling pity for her "I'm sorry, but its what your mother asked" he tried comforting her,
Mitsu frowning, because she didn't like this but she still didn't have a choice.
I mean like he is helping her hide from the mafia, so she should just shut up and be grateful.
'I'm here living safe while my mother is there with them.' mitsu scolded her self for being selfish,
"this is Jung han, and he is the manger of the band you'll be staying with." Jyp introduced as he pointed at the manger with his hand
" hello I'm the manger of stray kids" he greeted her, while bowing his head slightly,
Mitsu smiled to herself thinking that his English accent is cute,
Wait, did he say straykids? That sounds like a boy group name.'
"they're not boys are they?" mitsu asked her brows furrowing , holding her breath scared to hear his answer, jyp looked at her confused " I didn't tell you?"
" yes they're 8 boys, and you're going to live with them, and i chose this band because they're the youngest and the newest band in my company, so other bands will have more media on them" jyp informed as if he said something very normal.
As mitsu heard this her eyes turned wide open, with a look of disbelief, then the manger looked at him surprised, he thought that Mitsu knew about this. But seeing her reaction she looked scared and like she didn't want to do this.
" wouldn't her being a girl living with them, bring media eyes to them? And don't tell me they will not know, because they will" the manger asked jyp, hoping to let the manger change his mind for the sake of this poor girl.
Jyp looked at mitsu " well, she'll be living with them as a boy" mitsu snapped her head towards jyp eyes wider open and her mouth open "w-wait, what?" She stuttered, her lips started quivering she was about to cry.
'He must be crazy! Okay, i know he's helping me. but that's insane!, how can i live with 8 men and act as a boy, they'll know immediately!'
Jyp sighed, and looked at her pitifully "look, i know you don't like this, but this is the best i can do, for now to do all of what your mother asked me to protect you, while she's there. don't worry, me and jung han will help you, and the boys are very well behaved" jyp explained to her softly hoping she'll understand.
When he mentioned her mother, mitsu's heart felt like there was a rock on top of it. Mitsu stared at the ground ashamed of her selfishness
'my mother is there with him while I'm here being sad for something stupid'
Mitsu's eyes teared up, and she bit her lower lips to stop the tears from falling as she nodded her head, in understanding.
The manager quite all along looked at mitsu and he felt sorry for her, he knew her situation, but he couldn't do anything to help, except being nice to her and be there for her.
" one last thing mitsu, you have to be very careful to not let the media take pictures of you, or tell the boys that you're a girl, because then they might slip up, and the media will be all over the place for knowing that stray kids had a girl living with them, and bad rumors are going to start, we don't want that, especially you, you don't want your mothers effort to hide you from the mafia to go to waste" jyp said very seriously and carefully , so mitsu would know how serious he was.
Mitsu just nodded her head, because she knew that if she opened her mouth or looked at him, she will start crying immediately.
The manager told her to follow him, she did her shoulders dropping while tears threatening to fall, she constantly looks up to prevent her tears from doing so.
After some walking the manger stopped infront of a door.
The manger knocked the door and spoke in Korean, then the door opened and a woman who very pretty who looked in her early 30s showed up and talked to him in Korean, then turned to mitsu and smiled wildly at her, grabbing her hands and pulling her gently to a room which was full of makeup and outfits and wigs,
Mitsu despite her being sad she still was surprised as to why the women pulled her here, in this room full of make up,
"hello, I'm Sanaa, I'm going to make you look like a boy" she said to mitsu cheerfully, mitsu looked at her with sad eyes and bit her lips,
As she was reminded, Sanaa saw the look in her face and felt bad for her "no no, please don't cry, it's okay, you will fit right in,
As you know the boys in Korea are a lot like girls, so no one will suspect that you're a girl by your appearance," she said quickly trying to comfort mitsu, thinking this was what was worrying her.
"the only problems, are your height. you're very short even for a girl, and I assume maybe your voice will not be as a boy in here so you have to try and deepen your voice just in case. Because as you've seen here we have very deep voices" Sanaa hummed As she kept looking over at mitsu, then she touched her hair. Mitsu just kept quite hoping her tears wouldn't fall.
"Okay, now let's cut Your hair, do you have anything in mind?" she asked as she held mitsu hair, looking at mitsu while smiling.
But mitsu tears fell despite her tries to hold them back.
Sanaa looked sadly at her and felt bad, "its okay, let it all out" Sanaa comforted mitsu as she hugged her, as mitsu felt the embrace she immediately cried onto Sanaa shoulders,
She really needed that hug, she went to another country, to hide cowedly while her mother is still there, and she had to live as another gender, and lie to the people she is living with, basically LIVE A LIE, all because of one man. And now she had to get rid of the one thing that can differentiate from a man in here.
Mitsu cried harder as she thought about her situation.
'What is this girl going through, to go to such extremes' Sanaa though while rubbing mitsu shoulders calming her down.
Sanaa was another person beside the manager and jyp who knew about her, except that Sanaa didn't know her story.
Once mitsu calmed down a bit Sanaa smiled softly at her
"You know what, I'm not going to cut your hair, but you have to at least put a wig, because with your hair long like this it's very obvious that you're a girl, okay?" Sanaa asked mitsu softly as of talking to a child,
Mitsu nodded her head sniffling,
Sanaa then smiled sadly and went to pick a black wig for Misty, as she helped her put the wig and taught her how to wear it,
Once they finished they left the room and the manger was waiting for her,
The manger heard the door open and saw Sanaa and a very sad looking mitsu. Who's eyes and nose red from crying as she kept sniffing, he then turned to Sanaa,
"you were supposed to cut her hair" the manger observed mitsu, Sanaa looked at him "I did" she lied while looking away, "I know it is a wig, I saw her hair it is not that color, it lighter" the manager sighed,
"what was I supposed to do, as soon as I told her ill cut her hair she started crying, I mean you cant blame her, she is very overwhelmed, she needs to live a lie, so as a women I understand that keeping her hair maybe the thing she looks at to remind her of who she is" sanaa said soflty trying to convince him.
" and besides no one knows her true hair color except you and me, so its okay, and she will cut it but she needs to accept her life now" she continued as she pleaded, to let him keep her hair.
The manger looked at Sanaa then at a very sad mitsu "okay" he sighed as he ran his hand on his hair.
Sanaa smiled thanking him, then turned to mitsu and held her hands "if you need anything just tell me, the manager will give you my number" sanaa smiled at mitsu switching back to English as they were talking in korean,
And mitsu nodded thanking her, "lets go" mitsu looked at the manger as he beagn walking, then she turned to Sanaa ands waved her goodbye.
As they entered the car mitsu was sitting in the backseat and the manger was in the drivers seat, and the manger constantly looking at the car mirror to check on her as he kept hearing her sniffles,
I pity her, ill make sure for her to be happy here, and help her in any way I can. Are there really families like this to sell their daughters for money. The manger sighed as he remembered her mother conversation with him.
Jyp had just called and told him what going on, then he told him that mitsu mother wanted to talk to him, she told him to take care of her as she was a very shy, timid girl, but if left alone she will let other take her rights as she doesn't like troubles and spotlights, but with people she is comfortable with, she very energetic and loud and funny girl who is so sweet that she wouldn't hurt a fly, so please make her feel comfortable so she will live happy, and to let her continue her studies as she is now a senior in education she was going to be a teacher, so make sure she opens her I pad or laptop to attend her classes so she can finish her studies,
As the manger remembers what her mother told her about her, he didn't believe it because as far as he saw was a sad quit girl, but he couldn't really blame her, it was a lot to handle.
His train of thoughts got interrupted by their arrival at the dorms, he parked and closed the car, and opened her door and took her bags, he was thinking that he didn't have much time to tell to boys as the jyp told him today in the morning so they didn't prepare much.
'man, I hope the dorms are clean and not a mess, I already informed Chan' the manager hoped as he went inside the building with mitsu following him, as they arrived by the door, he looked at her " remember you're a boy. This is my number if you need anything at all call me, whenever okay? Don't worry about the time" he instructed her, and she stared at him, feeling a little bit better, nodding.
"you are older than most of them, so they will act politely towards you. if they don't just tell me, or bang chan, he is the leader and the oldest, okay?" he asked looking at her waiting for her to confirm, " okay" she did softly, "good, and don't worry about them, they are comfortable around new people, so feel at home, and they are very loud and tease each other a lot, and fight, so don't be scared, if they bother you just tell me" he explained to her feeling bad for leaving her with the noisiest men he ever knew.
He sighed and opened the door. As he turned to open the door mitsu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down,
'Its okay, you only have to pretend to be a boy, you just need to clean their house and rooms everyday, and get paid for it, you don't have to interact with them , so if someone is mean I can avoid it or tell the manager, so I'm basically a maid'
Mitsu bit her lower lips as she tried calming her self down, when The manger opened the door and entered mitsu let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.