I turned around.
The girl who had just spoken was walking toward me with a bright smile. She looked about my age, with pastel-pink hair and light brown eyes that sparkled like smoky quartz.
I had no idea what she'd just said, really. She was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen, probably even more stunning than Marja. Her face looked familiar, though. I must have seen her somewhere before.
"I didn't know there's an artist as beautiful as you at KE!" she gasped, waving cheerfully. "I'm Liisi! Nice to meet you!"
No wonder why. Even with my limited grasp of pop music, I knew her name. Liisi here was the most popular member of an idol group that had taken S Country by storm these past three years. I never listened to their songs, but they'd appeared on banners for big cosmetic brands, and maybe on the packages of my favorite potato chips.
"I'm Kaija," I said, "I'm not an artist yet, just a trainee."
Liisi's smile faltered slightly at my words, but she quickly recovered, her lips curving up again.
"Oh? That can't be right," she said sweetly. "Building S is reserved for the most privileged and senior artists at KE. Me and my girls, we're still sharing a flat in building B. You must be teasing me, sister."
For some reason, the way she said those honeyed words made my skin prickle. It reminded me of the niceties I used to exchange with my peers back in my flight attendant job.
I forced a polite smile. "Then maybe there's been some mistake. Guess I'll have to ask Mr. Kosonen again about this arrangement."
Her expression stiffened at the mention of Charles. "You… you've met Mr. Kosonen?"
"Yeah," I said, shrugging. "I signed the contract with him just this morning in his office."
I mean, what was she talking about? How else was I gonna sign a contract with him anyway, if I hadn't met him?
Liisi's smile returned, sharper this time. "Goodness, sister. You must be extremely talented for Mr. Kosonen to meet you personally and sign your contract himself. I've been here for eight years now, and I've never been allowed on that floor."
"Then how did you even started?" I asked, frowning.
"Everything was handled through our manager from the beginning, sister. From the moment we auditioned, throughout the training, after we debuted, all the way till now."
My frown deepened. So it seemed like Charles Kosonen had taken a few unusual choices with me, huh? I didn't know whether I should feel blessed or nervous.
"Sorry, I'd love to talk more," I said, "but I'll need to settle in today and check with Mr. Kosonen again about the lodging thing. We'll talk later?"
Liisi's tone lightened. "Of course, sister! If you need anything, just come to Building B, 2nd floor. I'd love to show you around!"
I turned, leaving her behind. For some reason, I felt a cold chill running down my spine, as if her eyes were still clinging on my back as I moved to the elevator.
I shrugged off the strange feeling, trying to focus on the remaining tasks of the day. As the elevator brought me up, I went through the training program detailed in the contract papers.
Vocal training? Hm, basic.
Behavioral and etiquette. No big deal.
Instrument lessons. Helpful.
Media training and public relations? Boring.
Wait a minute. What's this?
Dance training?!
I leaned heavily against the elevator wall, facepalming.
Oh no, dear God. No, no, no.
I might've been born with a voice that could sing across genres, but dancing? I'd rather be sent straight to hell.
Of course they'd want a singer who could dance!
And what's this here? Acting and modeling?
Why would they even ask that much of a singer these days? Couldn't I just write songs, sing, go home, and enjoy my boba tea?
The elevator doors slid open. A long corridor stretched to both my left and right.
They'd gotta to be kidding me. There were only two rooms on the entire 20th floor. My room, Room 1, was on the left side.
When I walked in, the room wasn't exactly a room. It was a full four-bedroom flat with four massive bathrooms, a dressing room bigger than my own bedroom, a kitchen that looked like a piece of modern art, and a gigantic balcony with a private pool.
At that point, I was even more certain I'd been given the wrong room.
I gave Camille a call.
"There's no mistake, Ms. Sepala," she said flatly. "Mr. Kosonen told me personally that you are to stay in Room 1, 20th floor, Building S."
I had no choice but to accept it with an awkward thanks and turn my focus back to the remaining task of the day, figuring out how to fit the tiny amount of belongings I had in my apartment into this massive flat.
As I dragged the two massive suitcases back to Room 1 later that evening, I couldn't help but wonder whether Room 2 was occupied, and if yes, whom my neighbor would be.
I shot a curious glance at the silent door at the far end of the corridor. Then I took a deep breath and stepped back into the flat that would now be my home. The spaciousness of the place still didn't fail to shock me.
The next morning, the first training session turned out to be exactly what I dreaded most in the entire program.
Beginner Dance.
I reached the studio at 6:45 AM. A few guys and girls were already inside. They looked much younger than me, all teenagers, and every one of them looking like they'd walked straight out of a magazine shoot. When I walked in, they only glanced up briefly before returning to their conversations. I settled myself in a corner, plugged in my headset. Absolutely not nervous at all.
At 7 AM, a tall guy walked in. This one seemed older than me, maybe in his thirties.
Gleaming golden eyes. Silver hair that somehow reminded me of Mister Snow Leopard.
I didn't know whether Charles had been so involved in my life lately that I was starting to hallucinate or what. But even the lines of this guy's face, and that cold, unreadable expression of his somewhat resembled Charles's, only that he seemed younger.
The chatter died instantly when he entered. The teenagers scrambled to their feet, lining up in two rows in front of the mirror.
"Good morning, Antony," they said in unison, though I could hear a trace of fear in their voices.
The guy called Antony didn't respond. He only walked straight to the speaker, pulled out his phone, and seconds later, music exploded through the room so loud I nearly had a heart attack.
When the verse hit, the teenagers started dancing in perfect sync, the choreography looking hard enough to put me in bed for a week.
And me? I just sat there in the corner like a total idiot who'd wandered into the wrong room, totally didn't know what to do.
Was I supposed to join them or what?
Nah ah, I'd rather chill than embarrassing myself.
Antony leaned against the mirror the whole time, his golden eyes quiet but sharp, like a tiger watching its prey as he observed them.
When the music stopped, his gaze shifted to where I was, those intimidating eyes narrowing like he was about to devour me on the spot.
"You're too old for this class," he said flatly. "Get out."