Arena was given a personal dance studio space to practice and make up her choreography in the entertainment building. She had had a consultation with the song producers and CEO 3 days ago, 2 days after meeting the CEO a week ago. The consultation had included the concept, whether or not there would be back up dancers, center and part distribution and so on.

Arena had gotten a green light at using back up dancers, which meant that she also had 3 days to have 60% of the choreography ready, so she could start practicing with them. So far she had only come up with the hook and a little bit of the start. All the other parts including the dance break were still lacking. The back up dancers were going to be 6 Starship Entertainment male trainees, who were more skilled in dancing than some other trainees.

Arena was going to have to have her choreography viewed over when she was finished with it, to see if the producers and management approved and if they wanted to change anything. If the latter did come up then she had 2 days to make the changes and to be ready to start teaching Monsta X.

So that meant that Arena had 1 week. 1 entire week. 7 days to finish the choreography.

A freaking 3.5 minute song choreography that had to be knife-like and on point.

She couldn't exactly say that it wasn't a lot of pressure. Although she was confident with what she had so far.

There had luckily been no run ins with MX themselves, and for that Arena was more than thankful. After her heartfelt evening with Naha, Arena felt quilty af for her friend's actions. After all Naha had done what she had out of consideration for Arena. Now that's what you call loyalty in a friendship.

Arena and Naha had been allowed time around the city, but not alone. They had been joined by their driver Kim Jaehyun and Shin Hyu Ye every time they had wanted to go out on town. Seoul so far had been amazing. Every koreaboo's or kpopper's dreams come true. Arena and Naha couldn't get enough of it. So far they had done small sightseeing trips to Namsan tower, the National Museum of Korea, COEX Aquarium and Seoul Grand Park.

Naha wanted to visit Lotte World very very very very much, but they had yet to get the chance, as Arena was actually almost always busy at the studio and every spare hour she had was spent out and about with Naha.

Luckily her friend didn't have to sit around the hotel room all the time Arena had to go and practice her own stuff, the hotel room having become their small living space with the week. Naha often went with Arena to the studio. She wanted to learn and try the choreography too and Arena could actually test some of the moves on her friend.

They often danced together. The reason for it being fun and just to try and see what it would look like with more than one person. Soon Arena could start putting together the positions in the choreography with the backup dancers as well. So far she had a few notes about positioning in her choreo notebook, where all of the details and times were being written down by Arena alas she forgot something she had invented.

"Omg how am I gonna make it, I mean, " Arena took a sip of water and wiped her forehead with the small towel she had brought with her, "If they had given me more time then maybe I wouldn't be this stressed out about it." She sat down on the dance studio floor. Naha followed suit and soon they were just laying on the floor after practicing for 3 hours already.

Arena sighed and Naha examined her nails. "You can do it, you have so little left to do, look at yourself. You have the hook and the beginning." Naha's hand flopped back down from exhaustion.

Arena's eyes were closed as she spoke, "I don't have the dance break AND I have practically no idea how to put them into the positions."

"You can practice with the back up dancers."

"I hope." Arena took a few deep breaths in and out to calm her racing heart. Why did she have to make such an intense choreo?

*insert picture of Arena face palming 100 times over and over*

"I'm just going to nap here until you need me again," Naha crawled to the corner of the room where they had set up a blanket and pillow for them to sleep if the practices lasted into the night. The studio was open to them here 24/7. Arena didn't even want to think about their poor driver who always had to be on call and ready to drive them to the studio or back to the hotel. Even at 6 a.m.Or 3 a.m. You name it.

Arena sighed and dragged herself up, put on her earphones with the song, picked up her notebook and continued working.

***

"So how far are you with the choreography?"

Arena swallowed anxiously and opened her mouth, "Um I would say that about 70% of it is done, but I still have yet to decide on the dance break part." Tomorrow was the day when Arena was supposed to start working with the back up dancers. She was soooo bloody nervous but extremely excited at the same time.

The CEO nodded, "Tell me more."

Arena looked over to Mrs Park who smiled and nodded. Arena felt an eternal debt to her, Mrs Park having become like her older sister. She was always looking out for Arena and if Arena had questions or concerns about things then Mrs Park was the one she could always turn to and for that Arena was more than grateful.

It wasn't easy to succeed in this industry without connections, friends or overall someone looking out for you.

Little did Arena know that it was Mrs Park who came up with the original idea to have her choreograph for Monsta X, right after the CEO had announced that the Dance Idol Group idea will not go into works, and that all of the folders with the audition tapes could be archived or deleted. Mrs Park had immediately spoken up about how Monsta X needed a few choreographies for their new album and that one of the auditioners had some talent for making them.

Of course most of the other members of the production had been wayyyyyyyyyyy too skeptical about it before they actually agreed to it. I mean.... we are talking about an 18 year old high school student here that no one had ever heard of before.

Luckily Mrs Park was a master at convincing people so soon the email to Arena got sent out. The reason they told her that she had passed round one and gotten to round two had been, yes, a small scam and a lie, but for the greater good. To make sure that Arena actually did show up, because once Starship had decided on a choreographer, it was hard to change their mind.

Truthfully speaking, Arena would have showed up either way because, cmon, it was freaking Starship Entertainment. How could she not?

Anyway back to the present as Arena was about to describe her idea concerning the ~dance break~

"So I was thinking about how one of the members could start the dance break and then the others join in for a big bang of footwork?" Arena bit her lip, thoughts flashing across her mind.

He's probably gonna think it's stupid and fire me

The CEO smiled widely, "I think that's an amazing idea."

Arena felt as if a stone had fallen off her shoulders, she grinned.

Then I know just the right person to do it

***

Arena was practicing in the training space when knocks sounded on the door and a 20 something young korean guy stuck his head through the small slit between the door and the wall.

"Is this the right place? We're here to learn the new Monsta X choreography," said the guy in English, having seen that Arena was in fact not Korean and assuming that she could not speak nor understand it.

Arena chuckled and answered in fluent korean as she stopped the music and walked forward to open the door more widely.

"You speak korean?" the boys started pouring in and the one who had knocked asked Arena again.

"Of course I do, how did you expect me to teach you if I didn't?" Arena smiled again and closed the door when all of the boys had entered the small space.

"Hello everyone, pleased to meet you," spoke Arena as she jogged to the front of the trainees and stood with her back facing the mirror.

"My name is Arena and I will be your choreographer. Please take care of me." She bowed as it was a part of Korean culture and was pleased to find the boys clapping.

"I think it would be easier for me if I knew your names as well, so if you could tell me them that would be nice and I'll work hard to remember them correctly. Forgive me if I do in fact forget someone's name."

All of the boys started introducing themselves at once and Arena wrote the names down in her notebook. The guy that had knocked was named Min Jae and Arena felt like she was not going to forget him.

"I'm sorry teacher, but may I ask how old you are?" asked a boy named Sung Jung.

"And how do you speak korean so well? Forgive me if I'm wrong but you don't look korean at all," spoke up another boy with the name of Taemin.

"I accidentally spoke to her in English when we first came in," laughed Min Jae.

Arena chuckled, "You're right I'm not Korean. My parents are from Estonia and I spent a few years of my life there before we moved to Colorado, USA. And to answer the first question then my international age is 18 and I'm guessing the korean one might be 19..?"

"Waaah you're so young~~ We're all older than you," said Taemin and grinned.

"But I'm still your teacher so you will treat me with respect." Arena crossed her arms over her chest and started the boys in their eyes.

"YES TEACHER," said the guys together.

Arena smiled and rubbed her hands together, "Okay so....where should we start?"