A Lonely Summer

Ji-eun sat in her empty apartment, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. It was the first day of summer vacation, and she had no plans, no friends to spend time with, and no excitement about the next few months.

She had just finished her sophomore year of college, and while she had managed to maintain good grades, she had also isolated herself from her classmates and struggled to make friends. Her introverted nature and shy personality had always made it difficult for her to connect with others, and she often found herself spending weekends alone, watching TV or scrolling through social media.

But this summer was different. She had decided to take a break from social media and focus on herself. She had hoped to use the time to read, catch up on sleep, and maybe even try a new hobby. But now that the first day had arrived, she felt overwhelmed by the endless possibilities and uncertain about how to spend her days.

As she sat there, lost in thought, her phone buzzed. She hesitated for a moment before picking it up, half-expecting to see another spam message or a notification from an app she no longer used.

To her surprise, the message was from her cousin, who lived in Seoul. Ji-eun had always looked up to her cousin, who was confident, outgoing, and seemed to have it all together. They didn't talk often, but when they did, Ji-eun always felt inspired and motivated.

The message read: "Hey Ji-eun, hope you're doing well. I have some exciting news for you. My friend's brother is a member of BTS, and they're looking for a translator to spend the summer with them. I thought of you right away. Would you be interested?"

Ji-eun's heart raced as she read the message. BTS was one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world, and she had been a fan of their music for years. The thought of spending the summer with them seemed too good to be true.

She quickly typed a response: "Yes! I'm interested. What do I need to do?"

Her cousin replied: "Great! I'll send you the details. But be warned, it's a competitive position. You'll need to submit a resume and a cover letter explaining why you're the best candidate for the job. But I know you can do it."

Ji-eun felt a rush of excitement and nerves as she began to prepare her application. She spent hours crafting the perfect resume and cover letter, highlighting her language skills and attention to detail.

Days turned into weeks, and she anxiously awaited a response. But as the weeks passed, she began to lose hope. She assumed that the position had been filled, and she had missed her chance.

But then, one day, her phone rang. It was her cousin.

"Ji-eun, you got the job! They were impressed by your application and want you to join them for the summer."

Ji-eun felt a mix of disbelief and elation. She had been selected to spend the summer with BTS, her favorite K-pop group. It was a dream come true.

But as the excitement settled, Ji-eun began to feel a new sense of anxiety. She had never been good at socializing or making friends, and the thought of spending an entire summer with a group of strangers, even if they were BTS, was daunting.

As she packed her bags and prepared to leave for Seoul, Ji-eun couldn't help but wonder what the next few months would bring. Would she be able to make friends with the members of BTS? Would she be able to overcome her social anxiety and enjoy the summer? Or would she end up feeling more alone and isolated