Now it's time for 'Mr. Hyunh Goes Country'! Anyway, enjoy!
Gerald, Arnold and I followed the source of the country voice as we headed upstairs and stopped. I blinked as I pointed towards the bathroom. The door opened as we saw Mr. Hyunh coming out in a bathrobe and a towel around his hair, drying it.
"Mr. Hyunh?" Arnold blinked in surprise.
Mr. Hyunh blinked and smiled as he said in his odd accent, "Oh, good afternoon Arnold and Arnold's friends!"
"That was you singing in there?" Arnold said in surprise.
"Why, yes. It's been a while, but ever since you reunited me with my daughter... I just had a song in my heart. I love to sing." Mr. Hyunh explained.
"B-but that was incredible!" Gerald said in surprise.
"You sounded like a professional!" Arnold said.
"It sounded like a country western singer possessed you and took over your body! You actually spoke perfect English in your song!" I said. "I don't mean any offense."
"None taken, my friend." Mr. Hyunh said. "Anyway, I just sing for fun."
I paused, smiled as I got an idea. "Have you ever thought of singing on the radio, or in public?"
Gerald and Arnold looked at me in shock, getting an idea as they whispered to each other.
Mr. Hyunh paused. "Gee, I don't know. I still have a business to run and... you really think I could?"
"Why not?" I shrugged. "After all, the world deserves to hear a wonderful voice as yours..."
"Still, I don't want to be rich and famous. It's just not me..." Mr. Hyunh paused. "Tell you what. If you're interested in hearing more of my music, wait until I dry myself up, and I'll have you listen to a couple of songs that I wrote myself."
"We'd be glad to hear them." I smiled.
"Okay. I'll let you know when I'm done." Mr. Hyunh said as he started singing his country music again, going inside.
As soon as Mr. Hyunh went inside, I turned to see Gerald and Arnold talking. I walked over. "What's up?"
"We're just talking about how if Mr. Hyunh makes a country western record, we can be his managers!" Gerald smiled.
I paused. "Exactly HOW are we going to do that? Gerald, look at us. We're kids. What do we know about being managers?"
"You've managed to be the manager of that food groups play!" Gerald raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, and it was very stressful. But here's the thing. I became co-manager, not manager of the play. There is a difference. And besides, Mrs. Slovak assigned me to the job in case she got sick a few times... which she did... with a bit of a flu bug over the course of a few days." I explained.
"Well, just imagine it, though!" Gerald said. "We'd record a CD... then, we get every radio station in the country to play it. He'll sell out concerts over the city until finally, we book the big one... the Great Ole Opry!"
Gerald gave a smile as Arnold gave a nod.
"I'm pretty sure he was specific when he said he didn't want to be rich and famous! We should respect Mr. Hyunh's wishes... and you're going to ask him anyway, aren't you? My words are going right past your heads right now, aren't they? I can insult you anytime because you're in imagination world and you still wouldn't hear it?" I asked as I noticed Arnold and Gerald's glazed looks, probably imagining wealth and fortune.
I paused as I looked at Arnold and Gerald. I smirked, since they seemed to be imagining something.
"Arnold, Gerald, Nadine has a big crush on Tucker Wittenberg. HUGE crush on Tucker. She'll constantly deny it, but it's true. Her knees often get weak and she blushes whenever Tucker comes in, but you can tell Nadine REALLY loves Tucker. And you know, I think Tucker has a crush on Nadine too! We should set them up together sometime." I said, nonchalantly, deciding to reveal a secret about my best friend.
Arnold and Gerald blinked as they turned, Arnold saying, "Did you say something, Rhonda?"
"Oh, nothing important." I shrugged.
"Anyway... as his managers, we get the customary ten percent!" Gerald smiled.
"Sounds good to me! But don't you think we should ask him first?" Arnold asked.
"I already did. He said-" I started before Mr. Hyunh coughed from behind. We turned to see him, all clothed up.
"Okay, I'm ready. Come on in." Mr. Hyunh said as all three of us entered inside.
We listened to a few of Mr. Hyunh's songs as I politely applauded. "That was pretty good, Mr. Hyunh."
"You write your own music, too?" Gerald said in surprise.
"What can I say? It helps me to relax." Mr. Hyunh shrugged.
"Mr. Hyunh, you really should be rich and famous!" Gerald smiled.
"Oh, you are so funny, Gerald. I don't want to be famous. I like my life." Mr. Hyunh said.
"But Mr. Hyunh, if you were famous, you could live anywhere you want!" Arnold advised.
"Arnold, Gerald, you heard what he said, he said no. Let's respect the man's wishes!" I frowned.
"Your little raven haired female friend is right. You have got to understand, I like my job at the restaurant, I like where I live. It may be simple, but the simple things are the best thing!" Mr. Hyunh explained.
"But Mr. H, think about it! That amazing voice of yours belongs on TV and radio..." Gerald started.
"Gerald, what part of 'he said no' do you not get, the 'he said', the 'N', or the 'O'?" I asked, frowning.
"Besides, I only play for my family and friends. That is enough for me." Mr. Hyunh explained. "I mean, being a western star, sure, it may be fun at first, but then you'd be stuck with this dead-end job. You can't just do it once and move on!"
"Actually, you can. There are such a thing called one-hit wonders." I said.
Mr. Hyunh turned to me as he raised his eyebrow in confusion. "One hit wonder?"
"You know, when you sing one song that's number one on the charts and goes popular, then you decide to quit, and fade to obscurity." I explained. "But that's not for you."
"Yeah, you could become a one hit wonder!" Gerald smiled. "Just record one song, send it to the radio, then quit while you're ahead."
"I don't know..." Mr. Hyunh paused.
"Tell you what..." Arnold said. "If you don't want to be famous, that's fine with us. We'll respect your wishes."
"But... what if... you create a CD, so that way, if your voice gets tired out... your friends and family can still enjoy it." Gerald said.
Mr. Hyunh smiled, liking the idea. "That might be fun... and you promise this won't go out anywhere in the world?"
"Guaranteed." I nodded as I glared at the two boys. "I'm going to make sure of that!"
Gerald whispered to Arnold, "Arnold, she's giving me the evil eye..."
"She's just trying to make sure we don't do anything rash!" Arnold said.
Pretty soon, we did the CD recording as the others in the recording studio were impressed with Mr. Hyunh singing. Before we knew it, we had a copy of the CD... a few copies in fact as Mr. Hyunh smiled. "That was actually pretty good!"
"Yeah, your tune was pretty catchy! I can see your feelings on the 'Simple Things' lyrics!" I smiled.
"Hey, think we can get this to a radio station?" Gerald said.
"Gerald, he said no! Twenty times! Get it through your thick skull!" I said.
"Besides, no radio station would want to play my song." Mr. Hyunh said as he arrived at the place he worked at... which is a basic sushi place. "Well, I better get to work. Enjoy the CD!"
"We will!" I said as Mr. Hyunh went in.
I turned to the three as he said, "Well, there's that. Guess we better go around and maybe give a few of our friends the CDs."
"I really wanted to have it on the radio..." Gerald said.
"I understand that, Gerald, but if Mr. Hyunh says no, then it's as Rhonda says... we should respect his wishes..." Arnold said.
Gerald deflated a bit. "Fine..."
I smiled. "Glad you guys finally see the light! Well, see you guys later!" I said as me, Gerald and Arnold split off, Gerald and Arnold to the boarding house and me to go to my friends' house to get the CD.
As I was walking around the corner, I accidentally bumped into someone.
"I am so sor-" I started before staring into the eyes. "Oh... it's just you, Caroline."
Caroline glared. "Hello, Lloyd. Fancy meeting you here... still haven't given up on your nerd friends?"
"No, I have not given up on my TRUE friends!" I frowned. "And how dare you insult them! You don't even match me, Caroline!"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Lloyd."
Caroline then noticed the CDs I had on the ground. Caroline frowned as she picked up. "That looks like a country music record!"
"Give that back!" I glared.
Caroline frowned as she threw the CD back at me. "Hmmm... I never knew you to be respectful to country, Rhonda. Sad, really."
I glared as I picked up the other CDs. "I don't have time for you!"
"Fine... keep being pissy." Caroline shrugged. "Just let me say something before I depart. Rhonda... look at yourself, just for one minute. Do you really act like who you are?"
I glared at Caroline and growled. "Get lost!"
"Fine, be that way." Caroline sighed as she walked off. "But sooner or later, you'll know the truth! Keep changing everything... something IS bound to happen..."
Caroline then walked along her way, and I can just imagine that smug smirk on her face.
I shook my head, angrily muttering to myself. Who did that stupid Caroline think she is, just coming in like that!
Honestly, what nerve! I just kept walking, not even thinking about it anymore.
As I went to bed that night, I sighed as I decided to close my eyes and went to sleep. Sure, it wasn't too much... but sooner or later, I felt like something good was about to come...
Tomorrow was going to be the day that Nadine and Phoebe go to the concert... I'm excited for them... Oh, I couldn't wait for tomorrow night... I sighed as I went off to sleep... tomorrow was going to be another day...
And there's episode one hundred and three! How did you like it? I know there was supposed to be the whole concert deal thing, but you can thank Rhonda from preventing that idea! Besides, it was technically Arnold and Gerald's fault in the first place! When somebody says no, they mean no! That's just how I feel, anyway. By the way, if you don't know who Caroline is, go back to chapters 19 and 66, you'll understand who she is! Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!