Super Girl

I've always been fascinated with languages. European, African, Asian...Ever since I was little, I always wanted to learn what English words sounded like in different tongues. It was an amazing concept to me. I took every language class I could in high school and passed them all with straight A's. I became fluent in the ones that caught my attention the most. My main reason for learning Korean was during seven months of my Junior year of high school, I traveled to Korea under the exchange program. I was delivered to the Park household, who had a son by the name of Jung-soo, better know by his stage name Leeteuk.

Leeteuk was already out of school and beginning his career with Super Junior when I arrived at his parents' house, but he came home when he could and we hit it off immediately. I'll always say, apart from Ryeowook, Teukie has the sweetest personality. He's like my brother and its because of him and the exchange program that I became so educated with Korea. And got the job most girls would kill for.

I possess no Asian gene. I'm far from pretty, especially when you stand me next to the ladies of Girl's Generation. But I've been to every state three times or more and have good enough people skills to get the boys out of trouble, if need be. With Eunhyuk and Heechul to look after that skill comes in use more than it should.

Many look at me and wonder how I got to be such a lucky woman. Being the translator and the American cultural guide for Super Junior was a job that required 'round-the clock vigilance and extreme patience. Yes, all these men were older than me, but they had their juvenile moments as well. Most of them involved making me giggle into hysterics.

During Super Junior's first American tour—and my first time on the job—I was told by their manager the number one law about my job: that I was to never speak to the boys unless I was directly spoken to. I was to never spend personal time with them, only be near them when we were going somewhere or I was translating. Otherwise, I was to isolate myself in my hotel room.

That only lasted for ten minutes after my arrival. As I was enjoying the quiet of my room and flipping through stations, a knock came at my door.

“Katie! Katie, are you there?” Leeteuk said in broken English, pounding on the door.

I opened the door and was swept into a tight hug by my adoptive, Korean brother. The room was suddenly whirling with questions about myself as the nine other members crowded in. I barely had time to answer as I tried to get a look at each of the members that surrounded me. They were talking as fast as their lips would allow. The first one that caught my attention was Kyuhyun. He was taller, gangly with a lighter tinge to his hair and soft eyes. But he stood farther back in the group, his presence overcome by extraverts like Donghae and Heechul. They were by no means going to leave me alone, my foreign conditions too much for their curiosity.

And so ended the following of Rule #1.

Yesung and I's relationship started out perfect. I was the innocent, American girl and he was that superstar with the rock star swag and powerful, unique voice. I just adored his little, full face and the way he snatched my attention away from the other guys, like he really was interested in me. While the others wanted to hang out, Yesung craved alone time. We'd sit and talk and he seemed to really listen to me. Things were great.

Then, Kyuhyun spoke of seeing Yesung with another girl. I blew him off. He was just jealous, I told myself, or something ridiculous like that. My Yesung wouldn't do that to me. But I began to notice the fleeting looks he gave other girls; if he saw that I caught him, he'd just smile and turn on his charm. Which I fell for every time.

His temper got worse too. It really was nothing. Just a few bruises on my arms or a red welt across the face. Nothing I couldn't hide. Except from Kyuhyun. He always seemed to know when Yesung was at his worst. He'd be a steady figure beside me, but nothing enough to bring Yesung's anger down on him as well.

As soon as I stepped through the threshold of the venue, I could feel the pulsing bass and chipper keyboard coming from the stage. I walked meaningfully down the hallway, showing my pass to those that needed it. It was only a rehearsal, but security was already locked tight.

A smile crept to my lips as I walked into the arena and saw the guys performing “Mr. Simple”, my favorite of their's. Donghae, the one who rarely paid attention to anything, was the first to see me. A grin broke on his face and he stopped in his dance routine, nearly sending Sungmin sprawling out in an effort to avoid collision.

“Katie!” he cried, leaping from the stage and running up the stairs with open arms. I laughed at how dorky he looked, reminding me of those romance scenes where a couple runs toward each other in slow-mo across a beach with their arms stretched out wide. The others followed in close pursuit.

Donghae hugged me and then it was a long line of missed embraces—except from Kangin. I was politely introduced to him, being the last tour he'd been away on military service. Now my diva Heechul was gone for the mandatory duty and I had no one to pick on.

When Kyuhyun hugged me, I felt the way his arms lingered a little longer around me. I just smiled at him before an arm snaked around my waist.

“I missed you,” Yesung purred in my ear and kissed my cheek.

“I missed you too,” I said quietly. He was always at his sweetest when the others were around.

Yesung placed his lips on mine, which was welcomed with gagging sounds and catcalls from the group.

“Get a room!” Eunhyuk shouted and I kicked my foot out. His dancing skills came in handy as he lunged to the side, laughing. I stuck my tongue out.

Too soon, the boys' manager stomped over, lips puckered in a disapproving manner that immediately silenced everyone. He was an average height man with beady eyes that hid behind square-framed glasses.

“Ms. Vander.” He addressed me solemnly in English. “So good to see you.” It really sounded like he'd been hoping I would have abandoned my duty.

I bowed politely. “It is good to see you as well, Mr. Kung,” I replied in my own tongue and smiled.

He forced a smile. Then, his eyes snapped to the group that surrounded me, making every one of them start. “Back to work!” he snarled in Korean. They all nodded and hurried back to the stage.

I always enjoyed watching the guys dance—not in a creeper-ish way either. They just
made it look so easy. And sexy. During the “Bonamana” dance routine, I found it hard to keep my eyes off them, especially during Kyu's first part. The hip action had me trying to hide my unstoppable grin, especially when I saw the...incredibly attractive smirk on Kyuhyun's face as he sang. My eyes dropped to my phone, faking reading a text as I felt my face heat up.

Kyuhyun always had that effect on me when I watched him sing and dance. I'd find myself grinning like an imbecile. Yesung's voice was gorgeous too, but he didn't stand out to me in the routine dances like Kyu did. He had that chivalrous charm about him off the dance floor and a sweet, rare smile that made me return it.

“That's enough for today!”

I startled back to reality, realizing that their dancing had ended and SuJu was gathered around Mr. Kung for further instructions. Mentioning how rehearsal could have gone better must have been a pointed, negative expression towards me. By Leeteuk's dissatisfied face, he agreed with my theory.

Mr. Kung dismissed them and they began to file backstage, except for Yesung. He jumped down from the stage. “Are you coming?” I hid the cringe when I took notice that the previous sweetness in his voice was gone. There was that demanding tone again, a rough sound he'd adopted once we'd gotten farther into the relationship. It made me flinch every time he spoke, like I was anticipating another slap to the face. Yesung looked at me with impatient expectancy. I quickly got to my feet, threw my satchel over my shoulder, and joined him. He gripped my hand with force, making me bite in the inside of my cheek. He was being more dominant than last time. His brown eyes were dark with negativity, and I wanted to pull away from him. But I knew if I did, he'd give that glare that sent me trembling and I'd earn a slap across the face for my foolery.



“Donghae, give it back!”

“Come and get it!”

Sungmin ground his teeth. “I'm going to kill you!”

“I'd like to see you try!” Donghae sang.

“Donghae! Sungmin! If you're going to keep at this, go outside,” Leeteuk demanded, though his voice still held an easy tone to it.

The two looked at their leader, then at each other. Donghae grinned at Sungmin and darted out the door. Sungmin shot after him.

“Finally! They're gone!” Eunhyuk exclaimed. He fell back on the bed and sighed in contentment. “So what's our plans tonight?”

“I'm taking Katie out to dinner,” said Leeteuk. Then, added quietly, “whether Yesung likes it or not.”

Eunhyuk lifted his head to see Leeteuk glowering at the wall from his seat in the chair beside the large window. “You're still not liking their relationship, huh?”

Leeteuk shrugged. “I don't think Yesung is the right match for Katie, honestly.”

The other member's eyes traveled to Kyuhyun who was lying quietly on the couch, studying the ceiling. “Kinda like Kyu-oppa?”

Kyuhyun's eyes snapped to Eunhyuk. “What?” he hissed. Leeteuk arched a curious eyebrow at the maknae.

“We're not stupid, Kyuhyun,” Eunhyuk said, rolling his eyes. “Its not like you've been good at hiding it.”

“Hiding what?” Kyu demanded, sitting up. “I'm not hiding anything.” He looked at Leeteuk for support, but the leader was only giving him a dubious expression. “I'm not!”

“Right,” Eunhyuk said. “Because whenever Katie isn't here, you talk about her none-stop. But the moment she arrives, you act like she's your worst enemy.”

“No, I don't...” Kyu muttered, crossing his arms and slouching on the couch. The two other members continued to look at him like they didn't believe him. Kyuhyun sighed. “Who else figured it out?”

“Oh, a few of us...” Eunhyuk answered with a smirk before leaning back onto the bed. “Like I said, you're not very good at hiding it.”

“Well, if I don't hide it, Yesung would be out to kill me.” The other two hummed in agreement. It was true, Yesung's personality had done a one-eighty in the last year or so. Whether it was the fame or something none of them knew about, he was a different—meaner—person.

“So you really do like Katie?” Leeteuk clarified.

Kyuhyun ran his hands over his face. “Maybe.”

“Ha! I was right from the very beginning, wasn't I?” Eunhyuk chirped, making the maknae jump. “I knew it! I knew it! Sungmin owes me!” He froze in his celebrating, realizing that the other two were staring at him. He chuckled. “Sorry.”