**Important Note: This is about a fictional OC girl surviving in the music industry and set in real, modern times. ** ------------------------------------------------------- Synopsis: BTS, Bangtan Sonyeondan, Bulletproof Boy Scouts, Beyond The Scene. The idol group had various names, but to Iris, BTS would forever be her inspiration, both in music and in life. She had first encountered them by accident during BTS’s American Hustle Life. Curious and smitten by the adorably awkward boys who couldn’t speak English very well, she later discovered that they were K-pop idols. Upon discovering K-pop, she realized her passion for singing and dancing. She joined the Korean Culture Club at her university and participated in K-pop dance covers. But as a practical girl, she never pursued music seriously. As a second generation American to Thai and Chinese parents, she felt a responsibility to graduate college and be a successful businesswoman. But BTS was the wildcard in her life. When she fatefully met them again during their Wings world tour, her life would never be the same again. Tossed into the brutal world of K-pop, she became somehow became a Big Hit trainee! ------------------------------------------------------- Genres: Fan Fiction, (side) Romance Fiction Question: Why is this listed as Realistic Fiction instead of Fan Fiction? 1) The MC is Iris Huang, a fictional character along with her family and the other Big Hit trainees. Any k-pop idols included in this story are secondary leads. 2) BTS are not the only k-pop included in this story; thus, this is more of a k-pop fanfic if anything. With that said, they are more integral to the story than the others. But because this story began as an entry into the BTS writing competition, I have since after its end gotten some hate for writing it merely due to BTS fanfics swamping the Fan Fiction section. (I really don't see the case for it because the top popular fan fics listed only showed 3 BTS fan fics including mine much lower down the browsing results. But with the contest, the sudden influx probably messed up the New section.) In short, imagine this as a fictional story that's realistic in being set in the modern world and time with real-life people's names. This story was never completely about BTS, it was about Iris surviving in the music industry. It's like saying a fantasy story can't also be a romance; even though, the story may be listed under Fantasy as the main genre. 3) I see stories on here not listed as fan fiction when they're based on TV shows and series, and the story MC is clearly the MC of that original show. Since I think my story follows Realistic Fiction more than as a BTS fan fiction since it isn't totally centered around them, I changed it two weeks after the competition ended. Additionally, now no one can complain about their favorite fan fiction being overrun by BTS ones.... I don't want to inadvertently add to the hate that BTS receives for stupid reasons like this. ------------------------------------------------------- Note about the realism in this book: All of the realism is to allow readers to be able to insert themselves as the MC as if living this reality for real in the modern world. I hope to share BTS's inspirational message to love yourself. May you gain the strength to also believe in yourself and follow your dreams~! Please support the continuation of this story by voting, and enjoy reading! (: TAGS: Music, Idols, Modern Day, Celebrities, Female Lead, Inspirational, Romance, Fan Fiction, BTS, K-pop
Listen to my heartbeat
It calls you whenever it wants to
Because within this pitch black darkness
You are shining so brightly
Give me your hand~
"Save me save me~" Iris softly sang. On this mildly cool night, BTS's song, Save Me, felt like the perfect song to sing. Having attended their concert yesterday for their Wings album, BTS still lingered in the forefront of her mind.
Iris shivered, partially from the slight chill of the night air and the giddiness upon remembering the passionate intensity that riveted the entire audience yesterday. BTS had a stage presence like no other K-pop group she knew. The synergy and synchronicity of the seven young men stole her breath and all of their fans. They were the ones who had brightened her weary days and made her want to be her best self. She had truly learned how to love herself and be confident through them.
With her head in a daze, Iris hardly realized that someone was quickly approaching from behind the corner. Before she knew it, she was suddenly falling forward. Her lungs felt like they got kicked, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe. Out of reflex, she began extending her hands to cushion her fall, but it was too late. She slammed onto the concrete, skinning her forearms and then her side as she toppled over. She let out a groan and held her head from whiplash. Meanwhile, her fuzzy brain tried rendering what the person who had knocked into her was saying.
"Aii!! Mianhae, mianhae! Gwaenchana?"
The voice was masculine but youthful, perhaps due to peppiness. Not having retained her senses back, Iris only glared at the man who was bent over and looking at her with apologetic concern. Upon seeing blood dripping from her arms, the man's eyes widened and tried helping her up from the ground frantically.
At suddenly being touched, Iris let out a little cry of surprise. Although the man was modestly assisting her up, she still felt wary. She blinked her eyes, trying to get the blurriness to fade from her eyes. Since it was nighttime, it added onto the difficulty of discerning the man's face. Realizing that he was wearing a sanitary mask, she started back in shock. 'This man...is Korean?' She was all too familiar with the classic mask Koreans wore even out on the streets, so that was the first thought that came to mind. No one else would wear such masks in the United States!
"Gwaenchana?" The man repeated seeing her flabbergasted expression. This time, Iris understood him. He was definitely Korean! He was asking her if she was okay! Although she wasn't fluent in Korean, she picked up various phrases from K-Pop and K-dramas.
Since she hadn't responded since falling down, the Korean man suddenly realized and remembered that he wasn't in South Korea. "Oh oh! Arr you OK?"
Hearing the man trying to talk to her English, she couldn't help giggling to herself internally at his cute accent. '....Wait...doesn't this man sound and look rather familiar..?' With her senses back to normal, and the man's face somewhat close, she scrutinized his face. 'HOLY CRAP!!! Is this J-HOPE?!' Iris's eyes popped open. 'No way, I bumped into a member of BTS! Damn, how many years of luck did I just use on this encounter!'
Iris could already feel her heart beating faster and her mind blurring again. 'Stay calm, stay calm. Don't scare the poor guy away.' She flicked her eyes around, searching for any other fans that might spot them. She didn't want the guy to get caught up in any scandal. The last thing she wanted was seeing Sunshine Hobi on some newspaper about knocking a girl down in the middle of the night in a foreign country. Suddenly cautious and concerned, Iris tried her best letting the man know she was ok.
"Ah, Gwaenchanayo!" Iris felt proud for remembering to add the polite ending -yo to her statement that she was ok. She was younger than all the BTS members except for Jungkook after all.
A flash of happy surprise crossed Jung Hoseok's face. "Joneun hanguk saramieyo?"
Slightly distressed, Iris waved her hands. "No, ani! I'm American." She enunciated her words carefully and hastily tried thinking of a way to say that she understood a little Korean. "Hangul, cho-kum!" It was broken Korean, but she knew he would understand.
As expected, the man understood and nodded with his mouth open a little. Iris had to restrain herself from smiling at the cute reaction. She then thought she should take this chance to thank J-Hope and all of BTS. If she wasted this opportunity, she knew she'd regret it forever. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, a commotion sounded from behind her.
"Ahhhh~~!!! OMG, is that Rap Monster?!"
"No way! I can't believe we actually met him on the streets while BTS was touring!"
"Come on, let's get his signature!"
Noticing his fellow bandmate, J-Hope quickly pulled Iris and him around the corner. He acted reflexively knowing that being caught alone at night with a girl who was injured was probably not the best situation to be in. "Mian," he apologized before correcting himself, "Sorry, sorry."
"It's OK," Iris assured, feeling rather fretful herself. For once, she was upset seeing other Armies. 'Ugh, now what?!' On one hand, she was excited to possibly meet Rap Monster, but most likely she wouldn't be able to now. And J-Hope probably would leave too before she got a chance to properly thank him and BTS. She just knew that there'll be a catch to her spontaneous luck!