Kaija turned around. The girl who had just spoken was walking toward her with a bright smile. She looked about Kaija's age, with pastel-pink hair and light brown eyes that sparkled like smoky quartz.
Kaija had no idea what the girl had just said. She was the prettiest girl Kaija had ever seen, probably even more stunning than Marja. The girl's face looked familiar to her, though. She must have seen this girl somewhere before.
"I didn't know there's an artist as beautiful as you at KE!" the pink-haired girl gasped, waving cheerfully. "I'm Liisi! Nice to meet you!"
Oh, no wonder why, Kaija thought. Even with her limited grasp of pop music, Kaija knew the girl's name. Liisi here was the most popular member of the idol girl group Lipstick that had taken S Country by storm over the past three years. Though Kaija never listened to their songs, they'd appeared on banners for big cosmetic brands, and maybe on the packages of her favorite potato chips.
"I'm Kaija," she said, "I'm not an artist yet, just a trainee."
Liisi's smile faltered slightly at Kaija's words, but she quickly recovered, her lips curving up again. "Oh? That can't be right," Liisi said sweetly. "Building S is reserved for the most privileged and senior artists at KE. Me and my girls, we're still sharing a flat in building B. You must be teasing me, sister."
For some reason, the way Liisi said those honeyed words made Kaija's skin prickle. It reminded her of the niceties she used to exchange with her peers back in her flight attendant job. Kaija forced a polite smile. "Then maybe there's been some mistake. Guess I'll have to ask Mr. Kosonen again about this arrangement."
Liisi's expression stiffened at the mention of Charles. "You… you've talked to Mr. Kosonen?"
"Yeah," Kaija said, shrugging. "I signed the contract with him just this morning in his office." What was Liisi even talking about? How else was she gonna sign a contract with Charles, if she hadn't met him?
Liisi's smile returned, sharper this time. "Goodness, sister. You must be extremely talented for Mr. Kosonen to meet you personally and sign your contract himself. I've been here for eight years now, and I've never been allowed on that floor."
"Then how did you even started?" Kaija asked, frowning.
"Everything was handled through our manager from the beginning, sister. From the moment we auditioned, throughout the training, after we debuted, all the way till now."
Kaija's frown deepened. So, it seemed like Charles Kosonen had taken a few unusual choices with her. She didn't know whether she should feel blessed or nervous. "Sorry, I'd love to talk more," Kaija said, "but I'll need to settle in today and check with Mr. Kosonen again about the lodging thing. We'll talk later?"
Liisi's tone lightened. "Of course, sister! If you need anything, just come to Building B, 2nd floor. I'd love to show you around!"
Kaija turned, leaving Liisi behind. For some reason, she felt a cold chill running down her spine, as if Liisi's eyes were still clinging on her back as she moved to the elevator. She shrugged off the strange feeling, trying to focus on the remaining tasks of the day.
As the elevator brought her up, she went through the training program detailed in the contract papers.
Vocal training? Hm, basic.
Behavioral and etiquette. No big deal.
Instrument lessons. Helpful.
Media training and public relations? Boring.
Wait a minute. What's this?
Dance training?!
She leaned heavily against the elevator wall, facepalming.
Oh no, dear God. No, no, no.
She might've been born with a voice that could sing across genres, but dancing? She'd rather be sent straight to hell. Of course they'd want a singer who could dance! And what was this here? Acting and modeling?
Why would they even ask that much of a singer these days? Couldn't she just write songs, sing, go home, and enjoy her boba tea?
The elevator doors slid open. A long corridor stretched to both her left and right. They'd gotta to be kidding, she thought, her face contorting. There were only two rooms on the entire 20th floor! Kaija's room, Room 1, was on the left side.
When she walked in, the room wasn't exactly a room. It was a full four-bedroom flat with four massive bathrooms, a dressing room bigger than my own bedroom, a kitchen that looked like a piece of modern art, and a gigantic balcony with a private pool. At that point, she was even more certain she'd been given the wrong room.
She gave Camille a call. "There's no mistake, Ms. Sepala," Camille said flatly. "Mr. Kosonen told me personally that you are to stay in Room 1, 20th floor, Building S."
Kaija had no choice but to accept it with an awkward thanks. Now she had to figure out how to fit the tiny amount of belongings she had in her apartment into this massive flat.
As she dragged her two large suitcases back to Room 1 later that evening, she couldn't help but wonder whether Room 2 was occupied, and if yes, whom her neighbor would be. She shot a curious glance at the silent door at the far end of the corridor. Then she took a deep breath and stepped back into the flat that would now be her home. The sheer spaciousness of the place still didn't fail to shock her.
The next morning, the first training session turned out to be exactly what she dreaded most in the entire program.
Beginner Dance.
She reached the studio at 6:45 AM. A few guys and girls were already inside. They looked much younger than her, all teenagers, and every one of them looking like they'd walked straight out of a magazine shoot.
When Kaija walked in, they only glanced up briefly at the door, before returning to their conversations. She settled in a corner, plugging in her headset. Absolutely not nervous at all.
At 7 AM, a tall guy with a face as severe as a soldier's on a battlefield walked in.