"What was that?" Arena came out of the bathroom with her mouth full of toothpaste foam and her toothbrush in her hand. She had also gathered her hair up into a bun with a pink hair tie and was standing in the doorway. She looked over her left shoulder to see Naha scramble out of her bed and walk up to the door.

Naha leaned her ear against the door and listened. She quickly pulled her head away when someone started knocking on the door. Naha turned to Arena, who ran back inside the bathroom and locked the door. She continued washing her teeth and her face, not bothering to check what was going on behind her door.

The bathroom had gorgeously tiled floors and walls with a shower cabin, toilet and a big sink. On the wall there was a towel rack, a blowdryer and a big mirror. The side of the sink was wide enough for Arena to lay her washing stuff out there and deal with them.

Meanwhile outside the safety of the bathroom, Naha decided to open the door and was surprised to find a hotel clerk standing there with another cart on wheels.

"I'm sorry, but we didn't order anything.." said Naha and eyed the clerk as he just stood there unblinkingly. He nodded and replied that this particular cart and these things were sent to their room by someone, so Naha allowed him to wheel it in and clean up the other one from yesterday.

Arena was already finished with her things in the bathroom but stayed inside, she didn't want to get in the way of the clerk or disturb him so she sat down on the cold tiled floor and leaned her head back against the wall.

When the door shut behind the clerk, only then opened Arena the door and came out, sitting in the chair behind the dressing table and draped her right hand over the edge of the chair, looking over at the new cart.

"What do you think is underneath there?" Arena tilted her head to the side and kept studying the covered dishes on the cart.

Naha shrugged and stepped closer, "No idea, seriously." She leaned over and pulled off one of the silver covers and placed it down next to the plate. There was only a letter in a white envelope there.

Naha took the envelope, gave it to Arena to read and took off silver cover number 2. On this plate there was some sliced watermelons and mangos and strawberries and all of the good stuff. Basically similar to one of the fruit salads they ordered yesterday, but this was more of just a fruit platter not a salad.

This one was more fancy pancy.

There were two more covered dishes and Naha removed those covers too while Arena's eyes flew over the paper as she read the letter.

"What does it say?" asked Naha and took a slice of watermelon and sat down on her bed, having opened the other two covers.

On plate number 3 there was two pieces of red velvet cake and plate number 3 which wasn't actually a plate but more of a bucket (???) there were two cans of fanta and two cans of coke.

"Wow," mouthed Naha and kept eating her watermelon, waiting for Arena to respond and fill her in what the hell was this all supposed to mean.

Arena folded the letter again and put it back into the envelope, stood up and grabbed a fanta, sitting next to Naha but on her own bed.

"Basically what this all is, is that Starship sent us welcoming stuff or something and they hope we feel welcome and that they have booked us both massages in an hour and that they hope to see us tomorrow blah blah blah," she took a big sip of Fanta.

"Huh," Naha threw away the green piece of watermelon and threw it away. "Why are they acting so weird. Do u think the others who passed round one are getting the same treatment? I can get that Starship has money but it's not like they are in the big 3. Why are they spending this money on us." Naha shook her head and took a sprite. She opened the can and chugged it down to drown her disbelief.

Arena sighed and looked over to Naha who was now wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "So what now?"

Naha put down her drink and exhaled deeply, her chest falling from the action. "We eat, we shower, we get massages, we chill, we sleep and we go to Starship."

The next morning they woke up with less of a jet lag but still a jet lag. Though they had gone to sleep at the right time, waking up was still the hardest part. Yesterday after they'd gotten their massages it had felt like every tension in their body had been released. The ultimate relaxation. Now that was long gone and Arena's nerves were eating her alive from the moment her eyes opened to the sound of her alarm.

"I feel like I'm going to die." Arena was combing her hair behind the dressing table and her hand was shaking. Naha came up behind her and placed her small hands on Arena's shoulders. "Cmon they will love you, stop worrying. They wouldn't go through all of this trouble if they weren't going to want you." She squeezed her shoulders and strode to the bathroom, her now fading blue ponytail swaying. "Relax!"

Arena inhaled and exhaled and kept combing her hair which currently was honey blond with Arena's dark roots fading into it. She liked changing up her hair color and thus she was doing it often. It physically pained her to stay with one hair color for a long while. Her all time favorite was her red hair and she was thinking if she should dye the honey blond to red again.

Arena had been changing up her hair color since she was 13. At first it was to try something new, now iy was about becoming and feeling like a fresh new person every time the dye got to her hair.

"What time was the driver picking us up?" asked Naha as she came out of the bathroom fully dressed and halfway through her makeup routine. Her foundation was currently "baking".

Arena stood up and started putting on clothes herself, "11.30."

Naha nodded and looked at her wristwatch, "That gives us 35 minutes." She walked back into the bathroom with that.

Arena chose to wear her favorite pants that were black, a little wider at the ankles but otherwise looked amazing. They fell around her toned and a little more muscular legs than usual and made them look amazing. Not too tight nor too loose. She chose a black top on top of that and layered it with an orange jumper. Her favorite color.

She also put on her white Nike Airs and styled her hair in loose curls around her head.

She did her usual makeup, laying back on the eyes and only doing a thin liner with mascara. Her lips were a orangy-coral color to match her jumper.

When she was done with everything and Naha was already laying on the bed in her phone, Arena looked at her own watch and read the time out loud for her already bored friend to hear. "11.22, we should go."

And that was that.

They rode the elevator down and walked through the reception to the double doors. When they walked out another black car with tinted windows was already there and Shin Yu He himself was standing in front of it and smiling broadly. Arena and Naha got into the car and it set off. Shin Yu He's talk was toned out by Arena's anxiety and her hands were shaking. She inhaled deeply and felt that Naha's small hands took her own, squeezing.

"Thanks," thanked Arena her friend quietly and they rode the rest of the way to the building holding hands.

***

Today was Monsta X's recording day. They were scheduled to the studio at 11.30 and they were beyond excited. They were the songs for their new mini album that they had been working on while touring and now after the tour. Minhyuk and Kihyun were vocal practicing in one of the rooms near the studio for the song they were about to record. It wasn't the title track or intro but the song after the title track also known as the third song on the album.

The song had very interesting vibes so they had discussed with their producers and head of the company to also choreograph and shoot a music video for this song. So that meant two new music videos, two new choreographies and two different full comeback stages.

Everyone was excited including the members although they were a little worried about the bang into their sleep schedule. But as an idol that was something you had to live with.

Kihyun was practicing the hook as he was the main vocal and given that part when Minhyuk suddenly spoke up.

"I heard that the company is bringing in our new choreographer for this song today." Kihyun looked up, "What do you mean bringing in? The choreographer isn't Korean?"

Minhyuk shook his head and continued looking at his notes, "They flew someone in from the States a few days ago and today they are meeting at the company."

"I wonder who it is this time."

"I don't know, but they were supposed to stay here and teach us."

Kihyun nodded in understanding and continued practicing as it was his turn in the recording booth next.

When the driver stopped in the parking lot underneath Starship Entertainment and Shin Yu He lead them through it to the doors leading upstairs into the building, everything until this very moment went by extremely slowly. It felt as if time itself had stopped. They walked to the elevators and were taken to the 4th floor where higher offices were located. Arena's hand was sweating and trembling again slightly and she was trying to supress it by pressing her nails into her palm in her fist by her side.

"Would it be okay, if the driver showed Miss Hatashi around the building while me and Arena go inside?" asked Mr Shin as they stopped in front of one of the doors. The building had tall ceilings and was in neutral colored tones.

Naha nodded and smiled, "Good luck," and then she was led away as Mr Shin opened the door and Arena stepped inside to find out if her dreams would come true.