┊┊┊┊ ➶ ❁۪ 。˚ ✧

┊┊┊┊ ➶ ❁۪ 。˚ ✧

Heereum looked up from her dinner and caught Lotus Šimić looking at her again. Whenever Heereum looked over to the American woman, Lotus was staring at her. It had been going on for half an hour already.

Mr Šimić's daughters were relatively quiet during dinner time. Aston asked a few questions here and there and spoke to Yujin—the two seemed to click immediately—while the dark-haired-daughter of Hopeless Records executive was silently munching on her steak and pushing her potatoes from one side of the plate to another.

Heereum knew that look on Lotus Šimić's face.

Lotus seemed to be bored out of her mind. But something about her draw Heereum in—and Heereum didn't know what. Maybe it was her effortless beauty. Lotus was a beautiful young woman, with warm brown eyes and a fit physique.

Lotus was completely different from her sister. While Aston wore feminine clothes in light pastels and with frills or bows here and there, Lotus wardrobe was dark toned, with tight sitting bralettes, loose flannels and dark, washed-out mom jeans.

Heereum quickly shook her head and concentrated on the food in front of her. Lotus' intense stares were making her nervous.

Yeonjun and Mr Šimić spoke about the itinerary for their Dallas concert and the other staff members or band members tried to have little conversations with the Šimić women. Everyone except Jungwon and Sunghoon.

Jungwon was checking his phone every two seconds and Sunghoon didn't fell confident enough to chat with the two American girls, due to his English skills. Heereum looked over to Sunghoon. The tall man was quietly munching on his steak. Heereum smiled.

"You're awfully quiet" she spoke in Korean, so Aston and Lotus wouldn't understand her. Sunghoon looked up and smiled awkwardly. "I'm not really a peoples person" he admitted, "I feel mentally drained from small talk like that." Heereum chuckled and rolled her eyes. "You surely are an Introvert, no questions." She chuckled and the two young adults locked their eyes for a second, when Aston Šimić called for Heereum.

"Yes?", Heereum asked politely and Aston clapped her hands in front of her chest. "Have you ever thought about writing your own songs? GROWING UP IN SEOUL is so popular as a cover band, don't you think original songs won't keep up?" Heereum frowned. "Well, it's not like we wouldn't do well with OG songs, but right now we're content with what we're doing."

Aston nodded. "Ah, I see. But I think there's a lot of potential in you guys. Don't you think, Daddy?" Aston nudged Mr Šimić's arm and her father looked at her. "Sure, Aston. GUIS has a lot of potential so I think original songs should be your next big goal."

Heereum nodded. "Sure, I'll keep that in mind." Her voice got quieter in the end and she heard Lotus sigh. "Aston, don't you think you should stop pressuring all the artists you're meeting? You're not their manager. It's this guy" Lotus nodded towards Yeonjun and Aston gasped after air. "I-I-I only want the best for GUIS! I could end up as their manager one day!", she hissed at her sister and Heereum's eyes shot to Yeonjun.

Yeonjun was awfully quiet and pale and Heereum knew he didn't like the route this dinner was taking. The other GUIS member felt it as well. Even Riki and Sunghoon looked worried.

"Aston!" Lotus rolled her eyes, "How could you be so disrespectful! GUIS has a manager!" Lotus and Aston started fighting and Mr Šimić scratched his nape carefully. "As you can see, my daughters are fire and oil for you guys." He chuckled, but Heereum didn't feel comfortable anymore. She hoped this dinner was over soon.

After the dinner finally went to it's end, Mr Šimić looked at Yeonjun and GUIS. "We'll see each other at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, rigth?", he asked and Yeonjun nodded. "Yes, GUIS and I'll be there earlier since we need to take the instruments to the venue first. We don't get our van until tomorrow afternoon."

Mr Šimić nodded and pursed his lips. "And July 22nd is rehearsal day and the shooting, right?", the Hopeless Record executive asked and Yeonjun nodded. "Yes, sir" he answered politely and Mr Šimić nodded. "Great. "So we'll see each other tomorrow at the meeting with the venue owners. Aston will go over the setlist with GUIS tomorrow as well."

Heereum perked up. "Why?", she asked and Mr Šimić looked at her. "Just to make sure it fits the vibe of the tour" Aston answered, a dashing smile on her lips. "We don't want to make a scene because the setlist is weird, right?" Aston looked at Heereum with a blinding smile and Heereum cocked her eyebrows.

"The setlist will stay as it is. I won't discuss this" she said and Mr Šimić sighed. "Miss Lee, I don't think you're famous enough to play the diva." Heereum clicked her tongue and looked down. Lotus looked at the front woman of the band and then to her father. "Dad, it's her tour. She should discuss the set list with her band, not with Aston."

Mr Šimić looked at his daughter. "Aston will only take a peek at it and give recommendations. We won't force GROWING UP IN SEOUL to play a completely different set without months of rehearsals."

Heereum didn't like Mr Šimić. He was acting as if he owned GROWING UP IN SEOUL. They hadn't played the first concert and Heereum already had enough of the Šimić family.

A few minutes later, Yeonjun, GUIS and their roadies bid their goodbye from the man and his daughters and left the restaurant. Their feelings were gloomy when they stepped into the elevator.

As soon as the doors closed, Sunoo spoke up. "Who do they think they are?", he asked and furrowed his brows. "How dare they call Heereum a diva? She is the most down-to-eart front woman I have EVER seen?" He huffed out and Riki nodded.

"They were acting as if we're their artist and not some indented artist from Korea." He shook his head. "This Aston woman" he said, "seems to be after Hyungs job." All eyes turned to Yeonjun. He was still quiet.

"Let's not waste a thought about it now" Yeonjun said, "we have a long day tomorrow. I want you to be in your best shape for the meeting with the owners tomorrow." Heereum looked at Yeonjun. "Oppa, are you alright?", she asked and Yeonjun looked at her. He smiled weakly.

"Of course I am. I think I'm still a bit jet lagged. A good night's rest will do wonders." He ruffled her black hair and Heereum exchanged a look with Jungwon who was standing next to her. All of them felt the weird tension.

Once they reached their floor, they all bid goodbye to each other and Heereum and Yujin went to their room. After washing up and getting dressed in their pajamas, they put on the TV for some white noise.

"Do you think they're after Oppas job?", asked Yujin and Heereum watched the soap opera on the TV. "I don't know, but I don't like the look on Yeonjun-oppas face. He seemed too quiet. And the way Mr Šimić and his daughter were speaking about us, as if we weren't there... I didn't like this either. "

Heereum shook her head. "We're going to do the best we can do and try to not let them get to us" she said and Yujin nodded. But then she turned around to face Heereum. "But did you see how Lotus Šimić was looking at you? She was stealing glanced the WHOLE TIME!"

Yujin giggled and Heereum blew up her cheeks. "As if! I bet you imagined it!" Yujin shook her head. "I didn't! I think she found you pretty." Heereum rolled her eyes. "Yu, I'm always pretty."

"Cocky bitch" Yujin hissed and Heereum threw a pillow in her face. "Stop it!", she giggled, when Heereum and her broke into a full on pillow fight.

— 🎸 —

The owner of The Loft was a round woman named Lydia Dawson with dyed green hair and round Harry Potter glasses on her nose. She wore a loose Slipknot shirt and ripped jean shorts. Her arms were full of tattoos and she had a massive sun and moon tattoo on her right thigh.

Heereum immediately liked the woman.

"I can't believe you guys are going to play in my club!", Miss Dawson cheered once she had given the band and their staff a tour through the club. The club was a huge room with wooden floors a bar that went from one side of the room to the other and a small stage in the middle of it.

"We sometimes have small bands play here and the vibes have always been great!", Lydia cheered as she watched the band put her instruments on the stage. "I know Hopeless Records asked for monitors, but sadly we can't offer any" she sighed and Yeonjun quickly shook his head.

"We usually don't play locations with monitors" Yeonjun quickly announced and Ms Dawson sighed in relief. "I was a bit worried Hopeless would cancel the concert." She looked at the band on the stage, while talking with Yeonjun. "Weren't they supposed to be here as well?", she asked and Yeonjun nodded.

"I told Mr Šimić that the meeting was at 10:30 a.m." he said when the doors opened and said Mr Šimić and his daughters entered the room. "We're sorry, we couldn't find a parking lot" Mr Šimić apologized and went up to Ms Dawson and Yeonjun.

"Šimić, from Hopeless Records. I'm supporting GROWING UP IN SEOUL on their first US tour" he introduced himself and looked around. "May we speak to the owner of the club please?", he asked and Yeonjun widened his eyes.

Ms Dawson cocked an eyebrow. "The owner's standing in front of you" she smiled sweetly and Mr Šimić looked at her. "Lydia Dawson, owner of The Loft, nice to meet you." Yeonjun pursed his lips. He shouldn't laugh, but the fact that the oh-so professional Mr Šimić embarrassed himself in front of the owner made him chuckle.

Aston and Lotus had immediately went to the band.

Riki and Sunghoon were currently helping Jungwon building his drum set, while the three guitarists were sitting on the floor, tuning their instruments.

"It's so nice to see you again!", Aston Šimić cheered and Heereum looked up from her Fender to the blonde woman. "Good morning" she greeted her politely. "Are you ready to discuss the setlist before having your free time?"

Sunoo rolled his eyes and looked at the woman with a sassy look on his face. "We're tuning our instruments, can't you see?", he asked and Aston was taken aback. Lotus chuckled and grinned, Sunoo looked at her and caught her smile. He smiled back.

Lotus seeing the pretty bassist smiling turned around and huffed out nervously.

"Ah, sure" Aston said and bit her lip. "I'll wait there" she said and pointed at the bar. "Lotus, come on!", Aston called and climbed off the stage. Lotus locked eyes with Heereum. "Nice guitar" she commented before following her sister.

Heereum looked up. "Thanks" she answered, but Lotus was already out of sight. Yujin grinned at her. "Told you" she whispered and Heereum rolled her eyes. Sunghoon watched the girls, before handing Jungwon another cymbal.

Did he miss something? Did something happen between Heereum and Lotus Šimić that he didn't know about? He bit his lip and turned his attention back to Jungwon's drum set.

After all the instruments were tuned and built, Heereum, Yujin, Sunoo and Jungwon went over to Aston. Riki and Sunghoon continued to put up the rented amps and started plugging in all the instruments and testing them. (Yeonjun was still discussing terms with Mr Šimić and Ms Dawson.)

Aston smiled when the band arrived at the bar and took out her iPad and Apple Pencil. "So" she said, "spit out the set list! We're oh-so excited to see what you prepared." Heereum took out her phone. "So, our intro song is Nightmare followed by a short ment and then Man! I Feel Like a Woman. Next is I'm With You and another ment. After that we're performing Ocean Avenue, Teenage Dirtbag, Drops of Jupiter and Adore You." Heereum looked at Aston and saw how the girl was struggling to keep up with her.

Lotus on the other hand quickly added comments, helping her sister fill in the blanks.

"After that it's time for our special solo stages. Jungwon will start with Enchanted, then it'll be Yujin with Memories, Sunoo with jealousy, jealousy and lastly me with Meddle About. When my solo stage is finished the band comes back on stage and we perform If I Can't Have You. Then Starving, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and Back to You."

"Aren't you performing Thriller?", asked Lotus and Sunoo rolled his eyes. "Heereum isn't finished yet" he said sassily and Heereum smiled. "Oh, sure, continue" Lotus said, her hand shaking. Heereum was talking way too fast and she could barely write down the songs Heereum and ehr band had chosen for the tour.

"We'll have another ment and then we continue with Scars, My Hero, Never Really Over and Since U Been Gone. Another ment here and then we perform Dirty Little Secret, Poker Face, Attention and Friends. Then we go off stage, put on our tour shirts and come back for the Encore. The Encore are following songs" Heereum looked at Aston and waited for the young woman to finish writing.

"Locked out of Heaven, Just a Girl, I Don't Want to Miss a Thing and Thriller." Heereum locked her phone and smiled at Aston. "Anything you want to change or add?", she asked with a sassy tone in her voice. Jungwon smiled—he was proud of Heereum.

"Your father called me a diva last night so I thought I'd act like one." With a sweet smile Heereum pressed something on her phone and Aston got a notification on her phone.

Heereum's iPhone wants to share an Apple Music Playlist:

GUIS US Tour Setlist

— ❄︎ —

𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠!

𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞.

𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

—𝕤𝕟𝕠𝕨𝕗𝕝𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕞𝕪𝕝𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕠𝕡