Authors note at end

"The three members of Loveli will be spending the next six months living as commoners."

"Come on girls! You're almost finished!" The peppy camera girl cheeped, a toothy smile plastered on her face as she directed the various camera men. Jan Di walked off the set and held her arms out as a stagehand blotted her face and neck with a towel.

"I can't believe it's actually Lotus!" Jan Di heard a high pitched squeal from a few feet away. Opening her eyes, she spotted it. More fans. A guard was escorting a group of ten through the set. Lotus was her stage name, and while she loved hearing it called on stage and at award ceremonies, her hour of sleep last night made the telltale calls of fans shred through her brain. She tried to ignore them. Someone walked up behind her. Ga Eul was just as exhausted, and another stagehand was smearing extra under-eye makeup on her face to conceal her fatigue. The music video was almost finished filming. Just a few more run throughs...

"What do we have after this," Ga Eul asked. She winced when her voice cracked, beckoning for someone to bring her water.

"Meet and greet. Then Jae Kyung volunteered us to teach a dance class at an orphanage," Jan Di said, her lip twisting into a grimace. How long had it been since they'd had a break?

"Miss Lotus-" Jan Di turned around and tried to walk away, doing her best to ignore the irritated feelings that were erupting. "Um, Lotus-"

"Jan Di, it's-" Ga Eul warned her, but Jan Di didn't care. All the stress of the day had finally caught up to her. She spun around, stared at the girl- barely thirteen at most- who shrunk under the pop star's gaze.

"Who let you in here?" She said. "Who told you you could be back here? Ga Eul, what do I pay all the guards for if they can't keep a couple of worthless pests out of here?"

"Jan Di!" Ga Eul whispered, taken aback. Jan Di felt a headache appearing at her temples. She didn't have time for this. She took a step towards the girl, who retreated.

"Are you here to write a song for me? Are you here to do my makeup? Huh?" Jan Di was quivering. How could her managers expect her to put up with this work load and socialize with fans during hours as well? It was madness. "Did you come here to give me a contract? No? Then get out!" The little girl burst into tears and turned behind her. Jan Di noticed at that moment that she was holding the hand of a little boy, maybe six years old. Jan Di froze. Crap. What had she done? The two ran out of the room, a security guard chasing after them. Jan Di shook. "Well, they shouldn't have been here," she mumbled. She felt like ripping her hair out. Exhaustion was clouding her mind.

When they returned to the shoot, Jae Kyung took her position as lead dancer.

"Ready?" She chirped, and then an eyebrow shot up as she spotted her comrade's expression. "Jan Di? Are you alright?"

"I'm-" she was about to say 'Fine!' but the director called for action just at that moment. The smile Jan Di automatically conjured only scraped at her nerves further. She could barely think straight, trying to keep up with the music as her pulse raced. And then, disaster struck.

"Whoa!" Jae Kyung yelped as Jan Di tripped over her own feet and fell right onto Ga Eul.

"Cut! What's going on?" The peppy camera girl and a few stagehands ran forward to see what was wrong, while the director shouted abuse at everyone listening.

"Get away from me. Stop touching me," Jan Di groaned as her vision swam in front of her eyes.

"Jan Di? You're bleeding," Ga Eul said. Jan Di was lying on her back on the floor now, the other two singers looking over her. Jan Di touched a hand to her face, and felt blood at her nose. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to focus on something solid, something real.

"Get away from me!" Jan Di raised her voice as high as she could while in this state. She rolled onto her side and pushed herself up. She glared at the crew around her, and her eyes fell towards the director. "Who do you think you are working us like this," she snapped.

"I think you need a break, eh?" Jae Kyung said soothingly, resting a hand on Jan Di's shoulders.

"We all need a break. Who signed us up for this?" Jan Di spat, looking around for her manager.

"It's alright," Ga Eul said. "It's just work."

"Do you know who I am," Jan Di said. She was huffing with exertion, trying to keep herself focused. "Geum Jan Di! And I'm bleeding!" Her arms shook. "Ga Eul, help me up," Jan Di said. Her two friends lifted her up, and the trio walked out of the room to their trailer.

Jan Di fell asleep at once, after stuffing her nose with tissues to stop the blood. Asleep, she couldn't see her friends' worried looks.

A few hours passed. Jae Kyung and Ga Eul left for their next item on the schedule. Ga Eul just couldn't bear to miss volunteer work. Alone, Jan Di slept until the two came back. The sound of the door closing behind them startled her out of her sleep.

"How ya feeling?" Jae Kyung said, sinking onto the couch next to the younger girl, patting her on the head.

"Much better," Jan Di said, and it was partially true. She still felt tired without relief, but at least her mind and senses had returned to stability.

"We've got to get back to the hotel," Ga Eul said, only just coming through the door. Jan Di sat up.

"What time is it?"

"Nine."

"Don't we still have to-" Jae Kyung began, but Ga Eul shook her head slowly.

"It's been called off. And no-" she cut Jan Di off before she could begin. "I don't know why."

Nine o'clock was the earliest they had returned to their suite in months. Working hard to earn their fame, the three girls had been whisked from place to place without time to think. Jan Di had a very bad feeling about this, but the immediate relief of finally arriving at what was temporarily called 'home' eased any wariness.

"Girls." A deep voice greeted them from inside the main room. Jan Di froze, and then held a long sigh in before walking further into the hotel room. This would not be good news indeed.

Inside, Jan Di's father was waiting for her. Jeup Sung-soo was business man through and through, and unless there was a very good reason, his valuable time would not be wasted visiting his daughter. Well, adopted daughter. That was the reason Geum Jan Di and Jeup Sung-soo didn't share a last name.

"Hello father," Jan Di said formally, approaching him to see what he required.

"Sit," he said, avoiding pleasantries. His face was disgruntled to say the least. The three girls took their seats opposite from where the man reclined near the faux fireplace.

"It's good to see you," Jae Kyung said pleasantly, but he only nodded in return.

"I received a very disturbing call this afternoon," he began after a moment of awkward silence. Jan Di felt her stomach shrink in dread. "Not just one, but two. The first was from the CEO of ExcelSoft, a company which we have been negotiating a contract that's been in the making for months. He told me that my daughter offended him by reducing his children to tears, calling them worthless pests." He paused, as though letting the information sink in. "The second call was from Director Heo, saying that Loveli had quit halfway through the job after its lead singer Lotus had a fit and insulted his entire crew."

"Father, I-"

"The contract that I have been chasing for months almost was terminated today because of you, Jan Di. What do you have to say for yourself?" Jan Di looked her father in the eye, but couldn't seem to come up with a viable excuse. The old her would never have yelled at anyone that didn't deserve it, especially kids.

"I was just tired..." She said, guilty, the extent of her exhaustion not seeming like a viable excuse.

"I know. You all are. That's why, in order to make amends, I've negotiated a punishment that will apologize for your actions and teach you a lesson." Jan Di's breath froze as she waited for her sentence. "The three members of Loveli will be spending the next six months living as commoners."

"Commoners?" Jan Di said, shocked.

"With all due respect," Ga Eul interrupted. "Jae Kyung and I shouldn't be punished for Jan Di's actions." Jan Di's eyes sparked as she turned them on her friend. Ga Eul shrugged. It's the truth, she seemed to say. Feeling betrayed, Jan Di crossed her arms.

"You both were there. You could have stopped her. You two girls deserve a change of pace as well. I've already spoken with both of your families. Your continued involvement in this group depends on your compliance with the punishment."

"I-" Jan Di stuttered, rubbing her palms on her forehead. A commoner? Like, eat ramen three times a day commoner?

"And you'll all be attending high school for commoners."

"What!" The three girls gasped. Sung-soo rose to his feet, walked to the hall and took his hat off the coat stand. The girls automatically stood to follow him to the door.

"More details will be sent soon. I'll make sure someone will take care of you. As soon as you finish this shoot, you're leaving for your new homes. Perhaps this will teach you that you're actually not better than people of lower stature." Before Sung-soo closed the door, Jan Di could swear she saw a smirk on his face.

"Jan Di," Jae Kyung whined, flopping onto the couch, throwing her arms over her head.

"I know, I know," Jan Di said, her voice full of regret. She ran her hands through her hair.

"Six months," Ga Eul said, dazed.

"I know," Jan Di groaned, collapsing into the chair where her father had just vacated.

"I'm not cut out to live like a commoner," Jae Kyung insisted. "I can't even imagine washing my own clothes..."

"Commoner food," Jan Di said sullenly. She already felt like she missed her gourmet meals. "Commoner activities."

"Imagine us taking a dance class at a normal gym," Ga Eul said. She sat down at the small table next to the kitchenette. Suddenly Jan Di realized that the kitchenette would suffice for their source of food in their hovel home. She could already imagine... Chipped dishes...moldy lettuce leaves...

She thought about what she had done to deserve this. Yelling at all those people... Her hand ghosted over where her nose had started bleeding. Maybe she did need a break. But how was this supposed to reduce her stress?

"We're going to be high schoolers again," Ga Eul said. Although mostly the girl sounded shocked, Jan Di detected a hint of excitement. She smiled. Ga Eul had always liked being in school.

"Ah, it's been so long since I've done homework," Jae Kyung said.

"Maybe it's time to get some brains in that empty head of yours," Jan Di teased.

"I'm a grade ahead of you two, have you forgotten?" Jae Kyung said, smirking at the other two. Oh... Jan Di had forgotten. It had been a year since they'd attended a formal institution, two years since they had started their music business. "At least the uniforms will look cute on me."

"Everything looks good on you, sis," Ga Eul said.

"I can't think about this anymore," Jan Di said, getting up. "I'm going to bed."

"Same," Ga Eul said, following her friend into the hallway.

"I'll just sit here, regretting ever befriending Jan Di!" Jae Kyung called after them.

Lying in her silk nightgown, Jan Di stared at the ceiling as her eyes drooped. "Perhaps this will teach you that you're not better than a commoner." Well, her father's words were true. She turned to her side, closing her eyes, pushing away thoughts of how lucky she was that a certain commoner's infant was picked up from an orphanage by Jeup Sung-soo.

Twenty four hours later, a black SUV pulled up in front of an apartment complex. Out of the back, three small suitcases were unloaded. The girls had only been allowed to bring the bare minimum. The driver handed Jan Di the handle to her luggage. In her designer coat and boots, she looked out of place in the crowd of average people going about their business. Ga Eul and Jae Kyung stepped out of the car behind them.

"A maid will be here later tonight to check on your progress. Her name is Sa." The driver bowed before he returned to his seat before driving off, not glancing back to make sure they made it into the proper door. Ga Eul gulped her nerves away, and it was peculiar for Jae Kyung to be this silent. Jan Di took the first step forward.

"Well, let's get this over with," she said, determination and her signature fire igniting what seemed to be a very dismal road ahead. It was going to be a long six months.

Sitting up in her bed, Jan Di rubbed the stiffness out of her neck. She lifted her arms and turned, feeling her back crack. This bed was never meant to serve Geum Jan Di, was what her body was telling her. Yawning, she glanced at the obnoxious digital clock. Still only six in the morning. Plenty of time for her day of doing nothing.

The moment she took her first step away from her bed, she yelped in pain as her toe collided with the bedside dresser. Cursing under her breath, she flopped back onto the bed, and flopped about a bit in aggravation. She embarked on her second attempt after giving her toe a minute to recuperate.

By average standards, her apartment was nice. Perhaps a little bit plain, but everything inside was new. The sparse furniture hadn't been neglected, the wall paper was recently redone. Still, Jan Di couldn't see how any of it was tolerable.

Ga Eul and Jae Kyung had the two neighboring apartments. Last night, Ga Eul teased that Jan Di had been put in the corner because it had the best view. Looking out onto the dirty streets, Jan Di couldn't help feeling it was so that traffic from two roads woke her up, instead of just one.

"Jan Di! You awake?" Jan Di jumped as the sound of Jae Kyung's knock echoed through the thin walls. She went to open the door. Ga Eul was yawning, slouched against the hallway wall behind the taller girl. Jae Kyung pushed past her, and looked around the room. "You didn't make breakfast yet?"

"Give me a break, I just woke up," Jan Di said, glum. She walked into the kitchen (if it could even be called that) and shuffled through the cupboards. The maid that had come yesterday and stocked the cabinets full, but it was commoner's food none the less. Jan Di's hand settled on some oatmeal, pulling it out and beginning to prepare it.

"Did you get your phone yet?" Ga Eul asked, leaning against the counter.

"Phone?" Jan Di perked up. She had never had a cellphone before- none of them had. Her father didn't want her calling people without his permission.

"Yeah," Ga Eul said, taking hers out of her pocket. Jan Di's eyes went wide at the bright pink device. "The woman left it in my living room." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Jan Di pushed past the two girls and ran to the only other room in the house. Sure enough, a black package was awaiting her. The other two girls followed her, finding her grinning from ear to ear as she pulled out the striped red and yellow phone.

"What's your numbers?" She said, turning it on at once.

"Do you even know how to use one of those?" Jae Kyung said, raising an eyebrow, and Jan Di rolled her eyes.

"I'm not stupid."

"Jan Di, let's go out."

"Eh?" Jan Di said, looking up from her new toy. "Where?"

"Anywhere," Jae Kyung said.

"No one's following us anymore," Ga Eul said, smiling at the possibilities. Jan Di felt a little bit of nervousness as she realized what it meant to be independent.

"Really though, where?"

"Just get dressed," Jae Kyung said, pushing Jan Di towards the bedroom. "I've got an idea."

"Are you kidding me?" Jae Kyung said, staring at the dish. "You expect me to eat what now?"

"It's actually not bad," Jan Di said, licking her lips at the flavor.

"You just have to chew it, it actually tastes pretty good," Ga Eul said. Somehow the three high class pop stars ended up in some grimy restaurants eating cooked intestines. It was already half past noon, and Jae Kyung's original idea of going to the zoo had been shot down when they realized that they didn't know how to board a train, let alone which one to take to get there. So far, they had browsed through ordinary shops until they ended up eating lunch here. The sky outside had begun to turn gray as clouds rolled in from the north.

"Don't you two think we have to get stuff to go to school with?" Ga Eul said, finished eating. The other two stared at her and so she continued. "Like pencils?"

"Maybe the maid will bring them," Jae Kyung said, nose still scrunched up at the smell of the intestines.

"Where do you even buy school supplies?" Jan Di wondered. The three girls stood up and paid for their food, talking about preparations for the next day. They would be getting their uniforms delivered tonight.

"Ga Eul, you could ask any boy for a pencil and he would give it to you," Jae Kyung said, pinching the younger girl's cheek. Ga Eul swatted her away, frowning as the trio walked down the street.

"You shouldn't say stuff like that," she said. Jan Di didn't say anything. She knew her best friend was way less than the most confident girl in the country, despite being featured on the cover of more fashion magazines than could be counted with your fingers.

"Why not?" Jae Kyung said.

"I don't want to depend on anyone, of course," Ga Eul said.

"Even without all our prep stuff, any boy would sell his soul to your face," Jae Kyung said, and Ga Eul rolled her eyes.

"Do you think they'll have a pool?" Jan Di asked, changing the subject. Ga Eul had always been a little shy about the topic of boys.

"Who knows with commoners," Jae Kyung said, and her tone of voice suggested that commoners were an entirely different species of people. Jan Di wouldn't mind this arrangement so much if she could just go swimming. Maybe she would even try out for the team if they had one, she thought in amusement.

A rumbling sound came from up above, and before they could wonder what it was the rain began to pour. Scuttling under the nearest awning, they decided to call it a day and try and get back home. They had been forbidden to use money for a taxi, their only money budgeted for food and supplies. None of the three had thought to bring an umbrella, of course.

They shook out their shoes waiting under another awning. Jan Di wrung out her drenched hair, reminded of how she dried her hair after swimming. She opened her mouth to say something but the door behind them opened, and before Jan Di knew it she was knocked face first onto the wet cement. Her knees stung, and her shirt was immediately drenched by the dirty puddle that was the sidewalk. She hissed as her scrapped up hands began to bleed.

"Hey!" Ga Eul called after the tall brown haired guy as Jae Kyung shouted "Watch it!"

"What an idiot," Jae Kyung said as Ga Eul leaned down to help her friend.

"A-ah-ah" Jan Di gasped, wincing as she tried to get up. Who knew that being pushed into the ground hurt so much?

"Are you alright miss?" Jan Di looked up at the new voice. Standing to the doorway to the store was a tall blond haired boy, probably just as old as Jae Kyung. He was looking at her. Jan Di blinked. It was obvious to all of them that he was extremely attractive. "Sorry about my friend, he was really in a hurry."

"I'm alright," she said, although she didn't move off the ground.

"No, she isn't. Do you have a towel and some band aids?" Ga Eul asked for her, internally exasperated at how Jan Di refused help.

The three followed him inside. It was a music store, mostly replacement parts and equipment. Off the main room, Jan Di spotted a hallway and a glass window that showed a practice room where a couple of kids were laughing and tuning their violins and falling off their chairs.

"Here," He said, pulling a chair out from behind the desk, and gesturing for her to sit. "I'll be right back." Jan Di watched as he walked down the hallway and out of sight. Behind her, Jae Kyung was about to burst into a peel of laughter for some reason, nudging Ga Eul who was terrible at concealing her grin.

"What," Jan Di said, squinting at them suspiciously. Ga Eul just shook her head. "I think we can just call this an emergency and call a cab," Jan Di sighed.

"We're almost back though," Ga Eul pointed out.

"Just ask dream boat for an umbrella and we'll be fine," Jae Kyung said, shrugging. Dream boat? Jan Di was about to retort but just then said dream boat walked back into the hallway. He was carrying a large towel, and a first aid kit. He handed them the items and then looked a little uncomfortable.

"I'm Ji Hoo, by the way. Yoon Ji Hoo. If you don't mind, I've got a class going on right now, so-"

"I'll be fine, thank you," Jan Di said, smiling. Ji Hoo nodded, and turned to rejoin his class.

"Wait! Could we borrow an umbrella," Jae Kyung said. He stopped, and then went behind his desk.

"Here," he said. It was the type of umbrella that rolled up very small even though it was very large, and Jae Kyung went to take it.

"Wait. If it's your only one we don't have to take it," Ga Eul interrupted. Jan Di, now drying her sopping shirt with the towel, smiled as she noticed how Ga Eul's courtesy annoyed Jae Kyung.

"It's fine. I have two."

"We'll bring it back another day," Jae Kyung said, taking it out of his hands. "Thanks." He nodded and went back to the classroom.

Ga Eul helped Jan Di clean her knees off and stick band aids onto them. They left the kit on the desk, drying off the chair before putting it back.

"I wouldn't mind making some music with that boy, if you get my drift," Jae Kyung said as they walked out of the store. The rain had lightened considerably, and the umbrella that Jae Kyung, as the tallest, held over their heads protected them from any further misfortune.

"You are shameless," Ga Eul tutted, and Jae Kyung almost cackled.

"He was really nice to help me out. It wasn't really his fault," Jan Di said, thinking of the figure that had thrown her to the ground. She scowled. "His friend seems like a real idiot though."

"I'm sure we'll have time to meet them both again," Ga Eul said. "We are here for six months after all."

"I definitely wouldn't mind seeing Ji Hoo again," Jae Kyung said and Jan Di rolled her eyes before a thought occurred to her.

"Do you think they got to our school?"

"No. He doesn't look like he's still in high school."

"He's looked as old as you," Ga Eul said to Jae Kyung.

"We will just have to see," Jan Di said as they finally arrived in front of their apartment.

"We won't be able to miss a guy that tall anyways," Jae Kyung said as they stepped into the elevator. Jan Di leaned back, resting her head against the mirrored wall behind her.

Back in her apartment, the maid had already come by. On her bed, her new school uniform was laid out. She touched the embroidered red H.H.S. on the lapel of the gray shirt and felt a little nervous. For better or for worse, tomorrow she would be starting Hana High School.

Hello readers!
I've only just joined this fandom, and I've had absolutely zero previous exposure to Korean media so let me know if I need to correct anything!
It will not be a JihooXJandi fic so sorry if I sort of lead that on in this chapter.

I've also never written much romance before, so let me know what you think as the story goes on! I love to see reviews!

I'm planning on updating this every week, but no promises because I also have a life.

Thank you!

~Laila