1 THE SWAP

"Stacey Morgan, wake up right now or I am asking your sister to empty this bucket full of water on you.", I heard my mom shout.

"Can't I just go and do it right now mom?", I heard my sister squeal. Gosh! I can't even sleep peacefully in this house.

"Stacey! It is already 8:00 am. If you get another detention today, I am telling dad about the volunteer club you joined without his permission.", my mom continued.

"No mom! I am up.", I replied and jumped out of the bed. My dad will kill me if he gets to know that I joined another volunteer club.

I looked at the clock with my sleepy eyes and the moment I saw the small hand on 8 my heart skipped a beat. And there you go, Stacey! Late again for the fourth time this week and guess what, today is Thursday. I ran to my bathroom and did my morning routine, changed into my uniform and I started packing my bag.

All my homework is done, Professor Antonio's file is also complete and I am all set for the test on evolution too. Life is good. I checked my phone and it was already 9:00 am. Where is Meghan today? I picked up my phone to call my best friend. I was about to press the dial button when I heard something.

I heard BTS blaring outside my window and I knew my best friend is here. A crazy BTS fan. How can you listen to songs which you don't even understand? And not only listen but also fall in love with them.

"Stacey! Come down fast or else our ears will start bleeding listening to Korean melodies.", my mom called me.

I looked at the clock and I knew I was going to get another detention today. I ran downstairs picked a sandwich from the table and ran out to my best friend's car.

"Open the door!", I yelled banging at the window. She rolled down the window and said, "Password please." I rolled my eyes at her immature behaviour.

"We are getting late Meghan.", I said annoyed. "Tch. Wrong password!", she said with a straight face. "Okay! I love Bangtan Sonyeodan.", I said in a bored tone. "Me too!", she squealed and opened the door for me.

I smiled at her childish self. Throughout the way, all I heard was seven guys singing something in Korean.

"How can you like these songs? Do you even get what they sing?", I asked. "Music is all about feeling babe. It connects hearts.", she said. My drama queen!

"How idle do you have to be to be an idol!", I said. she stopped the car. "What are you doing?", I asked all confused. "You think being an idol is easy!", she yelled. Uh oh! I must have hit the wrong nerve. "No, I didn't mean that.", I stuttered. "I know what you mean. You will only know when you are in their shoes, that being an idol is so tough.", she said all angry and started her car.

I wish we knew what she said was going to come true that very moment, then we would have asked for something better!

The moment she pulled the car back on the road we heard a loud noise. Someone was honking like crazy. I looked at the road and saw a truck speeding in our direction and the guy was waving his hands and asking us to leave the car. But we both were too shocked to even move. That's the thing about fear, it makes you do stupid things at your most vulnerable moments.

Somehow, I found my voice and I yelled, "Meghan! Watch out." That is all I remember before hearing the loud crash and before it all went black.

Beep…beep…. beep

I opened my eyes to see myself surrounded by people in robes and masks. "The patient has started to regain consciousness.", I heard someone say. "Put her on anaesthesia now!", another voice said. I started to panic listening to them. Suddenly I felt something piercing my skin and soon everything went black.

*FLASH*

I tried to open my eyes and I shut them to close that very instant as the light entered. I tried to open them again but a little slowly this time.

"She is up!", someone said and I heard a lot of footsteps running towards me. I opened my eyes and I saw a lot of new faces sitting around me. Before I could say anything, I was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, thank god you are okay!", I heard a lady say.

I pulled back a little as my head was still hurting. "Oh, Fiona! Leave the poor girl. She just woke up. You will choke her to death.", I heard a man say.

The lady stopped hugging me and I looked at her face. 'Who is she? Who are they?' I was thinking.

"Kim! Are you okay?", that guy said looking at me. "Are you talking to me?", I asked confused. "Who else is Kim here darling!", he replied. "I am sorry but I guess you are confused. I am Stacey. Stacey Morgan.", I told him.

"Stop joking Kim. It's not funny. You can joke later once the concert is over.", he said a little angry now.

"I am not joking. And what do I have to do with the concert? I need to go back home. Call my mom!", I said.

"Did she hit her head!", that Fiona lady said.

"Oh! I hope not.", the guy said and pulled me along with him.

He held me by my shoulders and said, "You are KIM SONG. The member of a KPOP group The Ace. You are not any Stacey." I was about to laugh at this joke when he turned me around and my eyes met with a mirror. And what I saw next made my world come crumbling down.

"Is this a mirror?", I asked. Everyone around me nodded. "Who the hell is there in the mirror!". I screamed in horror.

I tumbled down and fell near a chair.

"Who is she?", I asked horrified. Fiona and that guy ran to me. "That is your reflection!", Fiona said. "No! that is not me. I would never wear such clothes and whose face is this?", I yelled looking at the reflection again and again. Fiona ran out crying.

"Kim just stop with your act. Who do you say you are?", the guy asked me. "I am Stacey Morgan!", I replied exasperated.

"And where are you from?", he asked again. "I am from Baltimore, USA.", I replied to him.

"OH! So, you are Stacey from Baltimore and conversing in Korean with us all like a native Korean person. Quit joking now Kim!", he pointed out.

I…I am speaking Korean? That is when I realised, he was right. I was speaking Korean all this while! I was understanding Korean all this while! What is wrong with me? I stood up and ran out of the room.

The moment I stepped out a bunch of people came and surrounded me. They had cameras and mics in their hands. They were all reporters. After surrounding me they started throwing questions at me.

"Ms Song is this another of your publicity stunt?".

"Miss Song how are you going to face fans after such an embarrassing moment?".

"Ms Song will the concert continue?".

"Ms Song is it true that you are not your dad's real daughter?".

And the questions continued and with every passing moment, these questions became more and more ruthless. I started to feel dizzy again. I was about to yell at them to let me go when the people from the room came out and surrounded me. They pulled me back into the room and made me sit on the chair.

I heard the guy from earlier talking to the reporters. He promised them an official conference where I will answer all their questions. He bowed and came back inside.

"Get some rest and get yourself together. We can't disappoint the fans. The girls are out there performing and you will join them in 20 minutes.", the guy said and left without hearing another word from me and the moment he left I knew I was doomed.