IS THIS HOW IT'S ALL SUPPOSSED TO BE?

JUDE

The car rolls in a heavily gated driveway before we stop by the second gate where Zein keys in a code, and they open automatically to a .. huge mansion.

My jaw falls open when I see the huge house seated on the extravagant green property.

"you- you live here?" I don't ask anyone in particular, my face sticking out the window as I gape and try to take everything in.

I thought they lived in an apartment or something. Not a place that looks like some rich, famous actor or actress lives in.

"yup," Zein answers as he parks in front of the house next to the black SUV. "welcome home, kid."

"I had the same reaction, probably worse. I remember I drooled," Andre smirks.

Rex laughs as he slams his car door. "oh yeah, I remember that. Shit was embarrassing. I think I got it on camera?"

Andre reaches for Rex's phone, but he runs away, which ends up with them chasing each other towards the house.

I still can't seem to wrap my head around all of this.

Zein comes to stand next to me, not rushing me. "are you okay?"

No. Absolutely not. "I uhh, I am okay. Just a little thrown off."

He slings his arm on my shoulder, squeezing me. "don't worry about all of this. This is nothing. We are here to make music and be entertainers, so we deserve the best while at it, right?"

"I guess?"

He chuckles, pulling me in on his side. "don't guess. Accept this is how it is. It will be better as time goes by. I promise."

That is enough to make my feet move as Zein pulls me towards the front door. I try not to think of how this new life is, how it's so worlds away from the life I have grown up in, known all my life.

Can someone go from that to this and then back to the normal life?

What even is normal? Zein seems to be comfortable here; this must be normal for him. Everybody else is in their environment.

"don't be in your head too much, kiddo. This world will swallow you whole and spit you out if you let things get to you. Just let it flow. Don't let anything stick, okay?" zein's pep talk does nothing to comfort me.

If anything, it makes me even more anxious.

There is so much to lose if I don't be the greatest. Suppose I don't make it.

Rin and Miko arrive just as we are getting through the front door. Just then, a tall man with a buzz cut and glasses opens the door.

"hey, Woo," Zein bumps his fists as he walks in.

The manager smiles when he looks at me. "Jude, welcome. I am the band manager we haven't met, but we talked on the phone."

I take his outstretched hand, recognizing his voice immediately. "yeah. Good to see you, finally."

That makes him chuckle. We talked a lot during the whole month before I even came into the city, from making the moving arrangements and contract signing to my music. I feel like I am meeting a pen pal, but it's my manager.

"come in, welcome to your new home," he waves me in just as Rin and Miko reach us.

"how come you are being so nice to him? You only yell?" rin rolls his eyes as he walks in, Miko behind him.

"Jude is nicer than all of you combined. Plus, he listens to me, unlike you," Woo responds to Rin without even looking at him.

"power struggles, urgh, another round of argument," Miko seems over it, but he winks at me even as he disappears through the door.

"so, are you going to come in, or are you planning on staying outside? We do have a gazebo, but I fear it might rain tonight."

That makes me laugh. "so you are funny even in real life."

"I didn't borrow anyone's personality to lure you in, I am afraid."

I detect a slight British accent. "are you ..?"

"british? Yeah, you could say that. I am Asian American, my mother is British, and my father is Korean."

"that's so cool," I gush out.

Woo looks at me, confused. "what are you talking about? Aren't you the same?"

"I meant the British part. I love the accent; I always want to talk like that."

The house interior is … dark, modern, and lots of space.

"no furniture?" I ask as I look around.

There are pieces of furniture, wall paintings, a massive grand piano, and record labels. I am in a rocktar mansion, alright.

"you get to customize your room, the shared space is more neutral," Woo starts giving me the house tour. "there is furniture; don't worry."

True to his word, the kitchen is fully furnished, and Zein and Andre are making a drink. We move the living room, which is very huge and looks like it's barely used.

On the first floor, there is a gaming area, couches, and a massive TV attached to the wall. This room is broken in, looking like the guys spend a lot of time here. The whole house has grand windows and high walls, which makes me fall in love with it the more I get to tour it.

"My office is on the first floor, together with the music room. The rooms start on the second floor to the fourth.

"wow, so many rooms."

"huge, too. The company wanted to make you all feel at home and have your space without feeling constricted. I agree with that," woo looks proud, and I know he had a say in the living arrangements.

"you don't live here?"

He shakes his head. "if I did, I don't think the boys would like that very much."

That makes me chuckle. "are you strict? Bedtimes and curfews?"

His lopsided grin makes me know that wouldn't be out of the question. "I prefer to have my own space as well; I think I spend a lot of time with the boys to want to live here and see those smug faces 24/7."

The honesty throws me off, and I let out a surprised laugh. "wow, I am sorry about that."

"let's see your room; I can't give you the tours in the others' rooms unless we want our eyes gorged out."

"no one is allowed in?"

He gives me a sideglance. "would you or will you let everyone in your room?"

Good point.

I did expect something, but not this. I am standing in front of what could be my one-bedroom apartment in the city, furnished with a couch, a bed by the other side, and a TV as well. There is a lot of space for me to fill it up and make it my own.

It's a lot. It's too big.

I only have two suitcases. Nothing else.

"Welcome home, Jude."