Mini Story Collection Part 2

Foreword

The following is part two of three of a collection of mini-stories I have written to request songs to be played on the English-speaking program of Arirang Radio, Sound K. Sound K is a Korean hip-hop program that I have been listening to for almost four years at the time this has been published. Sound K is like a family, welcoming to all while being loving and encouraging to everyone. This collection is dedicated to all of the staff who works so hard to bring us the programming, DJ Ashley, the weekly guests who are still with the show as well as those who have gone to pursue other opportunities, and my fellow listeners. Every story is based on a song title, not the song itself and a few of the stories use actual names of people associated with Sound K. Each story is marked with the date it was requested and the song it is based on followed by the story. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them, they have been touched up slightly for punctuation and spelling. If anyone is interested, you can tune into Sound K from 8 pm-10 pm Korean Standard Time (KST) daily via the Arirang radio app for mobile, Ariring Radio Youtube live stream, or channel 144 on Sirius XM. Arirang radio had programming running 24/7.

September 9th, 2021 U-Go-Girl by Lee Hyori

Lucy tried very hard not to get noticed by the popular crowd, but the queen of the school seemed to have it out for her. "Where are ya going, clucky?" Heather sneered. The other kids behind her laughed and jeered, fully enjoying the show. "To class, after I dump this tray" Lucy retorted. Heather had been picking on her since the first grade and today was the day that stopped. Heather moved in front of Lucy as if to stop her but Lucy had other plans. She launched the tray of mashed potatoes and chunky chicken gravy all over the front of Heather's pastel yellow shirt and black leather pants. Gravy dripped from her blouse to the floor and Lucy grabbed a snack cake from a nearby tray and smashed it in Heather's face, smearing the chocolate cake and white filling everywhere. Dusting her hands off, Heather spun on her heel in the silent cafeteria and walked to the exit. As approached the door, a sudden burst of applause and cheers erupted from the student body and a couple of people screamed "you go girl!" as Lucy left.

September 13th, 2021 Don't Give A What by ITZY

Iris threw her books down, upset she couldn't have her bread. Tan trotted in the room, a happy puppy as always, and looked up at Iris. "What do you want?" Iris demanded, immune to his puppy dog eyes in her current mood. "Ya know what? I don't give a-" Iris looked up to the door as if feeling her sister staring at her hard. "You don't give a what?" Jasmine demanded harshly. "Right. I don't give a what." Iris smirked. 

September 14th, 2021 Summer Ride by Big Shot featuring Leah Thompson and Carlos

Rosé pulled her black leather jacket on, zipping it up with a quick motion. Summer was coming to an end, she wouldn't have many more opportunities like this. She stretched out her hand and caressed her pride and joy with loving fingers. She loved how she could see her reflection in the chrome, the feel of the rubber grips under her gloved palms. Rosé straddled her bike with ease and jumped on the throttle to get her bike to purr like a big jungle cat. Accelerating slightly, Rosé got the machine pointed towards the open road, put her sleek black helmet on, and smiled deeply as she slammed the tinted visor down. She may not have many more Summer days to ride in, but each ride is as exhilarating and calming as the last. 

September 15th, 2021 A Little Close by High4 and Lim Kim

Two boys ran down the street, as fast as they could. They heard their teacher and mothers yelling angrily after them, their words drowned out by the heartbeat in their ears. Rounding a corner and ducking under a broken fence, they stopped to catch their breath. "That," Ralph panted, "was a little close". Fred grinned "ya, but it was totally worth it to let those frogs loose in the school. Our mums' will kill us later but the way the teacher screamed was a laugh riot!" 

September 16th, 2021 Gentleman by Psy

The couple met on the street corner as planned, they dined at the local café while talking pleasantly. This seemed too good to be true for Sheryl, after all this was a blind date. After finishing their light lunch, they toured the flea markets where her date Brad bought her a couple of trinkets. "A token to remember me by" he smiled warmly when she asked. The hours flew by and as the sunset, Sheryl found herself standing on the steps to her apartment staring into his deep brown eyes. She heard herself say "would you like to come up?" and felt a sensation similar to heartache as he turned down the offer. "If I may, I would like to see you again. A gentleman never accepts more than a kiss on the cheek for the first date, I'm afraid." 

September 17th, 2021 한 사람이 있었다 (There Was One) by Paul Song

Laughter rang out in the restaurant as the crowd of Arirang Sound K staff ate a meal of songpyeon (pine cakes), Pajeon, Perilla leaf jeon, Wanjajeon, Galbijjim, and Japchae among other things while swapping stories. "There was one time Ashley rolled up a paper and hit me on the head with it," Boitello claimed with a laugh. Taewoo looked puzzled as he asked, "why did she do that?" Ashley laughed "I did it because a listener asked me to 'bop him with a rolled-up paper for making everyone worry'. Boitello was on a salt diet, he wasn't eating properly and so I did as I was asked. For two weeks after, I rolled a paper up in case I needed it." Key came over then and asked for a hand to get Iris packed up for the night. "She has bought a lot of loaves of bread, I think she plans to share with her family..." Iris appeared seemingly out of nowhere and exclaimed loudly "NOPE! All the bread I bought is for me, a Chuseok gift for myself!" Iris went home earlier than the rest, but the night was filled with laughter and joy as the Sound K fam ate and drank their fill while telling stories of "there was one time". 

September 22nd, 2021 Nerdy Love by PH-1

The warrior dressed in heavy armor clunked forward, his sword raised to strike with the tip towards his target as he charged forward with a roaring "Aaaarrrgggghh!" The cloaked rogue smiled slightly as she flipped backward and launched herself from the pillar behind her, the torch crackling as the wind from her movements threatened to plunge them into darkness. The rogue produced a bow and shot rapidly at the warrior, who was unable to stop himself as he planted his sword into the pillar. The big man took cover from the barrage, grabbed the short sword strapped to his back, and charged the woman again, who managed to get behind him and stopped him in his tracks with a dagger against his neck. Giving the warrior a peck on the check, the rogue taunted "you lose again dear. Maybe next time you'll plan your attacks better?" Laughing and letting her husband go, the woman tossed the stick "dagger" between her hands. The next time we decide to L.A.R.P., could we maybe work as a team?" the husband grunted. The woman laughed "sure, sir dorkly. We can work together".i

September 23rd, 2021 블레이즈 (Blaze) by Rolling Quartz

The heat was intense, the smoke burned my eyes as I struggled to see the glowing girl standing in front of me. "Embrace it," she said, her ethereal voice echoing on the air. "Embrace the flames". I struggled to understand her. Coughing, I spit out "embrace, what!?! The fire?" I could barely make out the girl, but her smile was clear. "YES. EMBRACE IT. LIVE TO CONTROL THE BLAZE." I collapsed to the floor and shut my eyes. I forced myself to calm down and to breathe evenly. The roar of the fire was deafening, but then....silence. The air around me was clean, crisp, and cool. My eyes flashed open, my brain attempted to comprehend what happened. I sat in the charred husk of the building, the black smoke still rolling off the wood in crisp wisps. The glowing girl stood over me, smiling deeper. "I knew you could do it. You just had to believe." 

September 24th, 2021 Sound Like by Budy

"Alright class, today we are going to talk about things that sound similar but are completely different. For example, scents, cents, and sense," Ms. Choi explained. "These words all sound like they are spelled the same, but they aren't. Ms. Choi wrote the three words on the whiteboard and continued. We have c-e-n-t-s, which is the word we use for coins. And we have s-c-e-n-t-s which is how we describe smells. Finally, we have s-e-n-s-e, which is to talk about the 5 five senses. Which we will cover in science class after lunch," she finished as the bell rang to dismiss the class. 

September 28th, 2021 Catch Me If You Can by Girl's Generation

"STOP! FREEZE! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" the officer yelled as she slammed into a wall next to the twentieth-floor sign in pursuit of the suspect. "Requesting immediate backup, the suspect is heading up the staircase to the roof of the Holders building on 34th and Baker," she barked into her walkie clipped to her shoulder. The chase continued up for another 15 floors when the officer burst through the door, her taser trained on her target. "Put your hands on your head! Do it! NOW!" She ordered, angrily. The suspect raised his hands in surrender with nowhere left to go standing at the edge of the building, the flowing black fabric that covered him from head to toe seemed to flow like water in the sunlight. He turned to face the officer, a strange smile on his face. "Catch me if you can" he taunted as he allowed himself to fall off the building. "No!" The officer sprinted to the edge and watched as the suspect sailed away into the sunset on an impossible glider. "Where did that come from...?" The officer wondered in shock.

September 29th, 2021 Dreams Come True by S.E.S/ October 4th, 2021 Pirate King by Ateez (continuation combined)

I was getting closer, I just knew it. "Will you come on?" Barb groaned, "this is dumb Rachel. You had a dream and now you're dragging me through the forest to find something that exists only in your mind!" I turned and glared at her as I snapped "if you don't want to come, then go home. I am going on though." I spun on my heel, a fox darted away just as it had in my dream. I sprinted forward, turning left at the great mulberry tree that was planted in the center of the mighty oak forest. "Wait up!" Barb whined, "my shoes are ruined now because of-" she almost ran into me since I had stopped in my tracks, staring and pointing at a bush. "It's there!" I shouted and ran forward to find a partially hidden chest as Barb stood by in complete shock. 

Barb barely caught up to me before I reached the chest, she was failing to hide her excitement. "What do you think is in it, Rach? Gold? Jewelry? Junk?" Barb's eyes glistened with greed but something felt wrong, I was forgetting something important. Before I could stop her, Barb flung the chest open and gold and precious stones spilled out. "WE'RE RICH! Barb screamed happily. Her joy was short-lived however as a roaring ghost made the gold coins explode from the chest as he rose from the center. "Who be ye who DARES try to steal me booty? Walk da plank ye will, this I swear!" Barb turned several shades of white before turning to run screaming in terror. The ghost, dressed in fine but severely dated clothes and translucent watched in bemusement as Barb grew smaller in the distance and laughed hard when she ran into a tree, apparently knocking herself out. Turning back to me, he raised a bushy black eyebrow while staring at me hard. "Uh, ain'tcha gonna turn tail and run too?" Every fiber of my being told me to bolt, to get far away fast but I was rooted to the spot in terror. "My name is Rachel, what's yours?" I found myself asking. The ghost drew back in surprise. "I be da feared Pirate King Black Beard I be! Why have ye come here?" His stare burned through me as if he could see into my soul. "I had a dream, about you and this place. I think maybe I was sent to help you if I can. Are you happy here?" Black Beard blinked. "Happy? I have me chest of treasure! No rum, no crew. Just me in a pitiful state." Black Beard burst into tears as he continued "I be miserable girl, I just want to leave but I can't. I'm stuck." I thought for a moment, then I surprised even myself as I reached up and kissed the spirit on the cheek. "Blessings upon you, sir. May you rest in peace." Black Beard looked stunned as he reached up to touch where my lips had touched. "Bless you, child," he barely managed to say as he was encompassed by a golden light and vanished. The treasure flew back into the chest like metal to a magnet and I happily dragged the chest all the way home. 

October 1st, 2021 Oppa! Can I Rap? by E.via

A young girl had a dream. A dream some might believe was silly, but she longed for it all the same. "I want to become a rapper!" She declared proudly to her brother who laughed long and hard. "You want to be a what? A rapper? Yeah right!" Many years passed and the girl never gave up, she practiced her rap skills in secret. One day, the girl entered into a rap competition that she knew her brother would watch while wearing a disguise. She donned a mask and spitfire the entire time. Her brother approached her in awe, told her that he was a huge fan, and wondered if she would reveal her identity soon. He gasped loudly as she took off her mask. "Well brother, can I rap?" 

October 5th, 2021 Gotta Be You by 2ne1

Scott and Sammy ducked behind the hedge, careful not to be seen by Mr. Henderson, the neighborhood grouch. Sammy looked excited under her ballcap, while Scott looked nervous. Risking a peek over the bush, Sammy grinned at her friend. "Are you ready to do this?" Scott usually red face suddenly lost all color. "Why me, though?" He whined, wishing himself to disappear. Sammy looked at her friend with a mixture of pity and disgust. "This is a rite of passage, you know that. Everyone has to do it, I did it last week so it's gotta be you. Choose your prank and show that old grumpy gus you ain't scared of him!" Armed with firecrackers and a lighter, Scott made his way to Mr. Henderson's door. He placed the firecrackers under a flower pot with the fuse sticking out, then lit it before ringing the doorbell. Scott flew off the porch and dove behind the hedge wall just as the door opened. Mr. Henderson stepped out, looked about, and about jumped out of his skin as the BANG! POP! BANG! amplified by a small hole in the flower pot began. Sammy nodded in approval, "nice touch, most kids just ding-dong-ditch, but you went the extra mile with those bangers." 

October 6th, 2021 I'll Be By Your Side by Coffee Boy featuring Ha Eun

A young woman sat alone on a park bench wearing a dark brown cloak with the hood draped over her head, the autumn wind blew the leaves all around her feet. She sniffled softly, her head bowed as she thought about what she was going to do. A man dressed in a navy blue suit walked past the lady, but something caused him to pause and look her way. He sat next to her, staring into the distance. "Is something wrong, fair lady?" The woman stiffened, she wanted to run and to be left alone but she decided to engage him in conversation instead. "Yes, I fear there is something wrong. My husband and I had a huge fight, I fear he may leave me." The man sat silently for a long moment before replying "what is it you wish for your future? Do you want to stay with the brute of a man you married or run away and find someone new?" The woman stood abruptly and pushed her hood back, glaring at the man. "You know full well I want to remain with you, Mason." Mason stood up and walked past the woman to a rose bush that was planted next to the path. He selected a plump rose and clipped it off with scissors he had the fortune to bring. "You should also know that I'm always here for you, no matter how terrible the fights are, Natalie. We may scream and curse, but at the end of the day, my love for you grows. My greatest fear is losing you and my biggest flaw is my temper." He leaned in close and kissed her deeply. "Let's go home and build our future, together." 

October 12th, 2021 Angel by Chancellor featuring Taeyeon

Two boys were playing in their yard with a ball when the older one threw it a little harder than he intended. "I'll get it!" The younger boy yelled as he ran after the ball which stopped mysteriously just before rolling off the curb. The boy picked up the ball and ran back to his brother. A man and a woman stood together across the street, watching the boy run back to play. The woman turned to the man and said "that was a little too close for comfort." The man nodded in agreement, "let's go, Abigail." The pair turned and vanished in a flurry of white feathers. 

October 13th, 2021 Sea of Moonlight by IU and Fiestar

I stared out the castle window, the moon was finally able to break free from the clouds. The night was so beautiful, the wind blew the trees of the surrounding pine forest in a gentle swaying motion. My wife appeared beside me, our son in her arms. I gestured to the scene before us will you look at that, my dear? 'Tis like a sea, the way the treetops wave in perfect unison." My wife smiled, "yes, it's like a sea of moonlight. Our son is very fortunate he shall grow up here and know such beauty. Perhaps he will become an artist like his father." I chuckle at the thought as we step away from the window and our minds think of sleep. 

October 14th, 2021 The Shadow by BoA

I had to risk it. I peeked over the top of my blanket but I didn't see it. I carefully pushed the blanket away, now might be my only chance. As softly as I could, I put my bare feet on the cold floor and quickly moved to the door. I was halfway down the hall when the shadow appeared before me, glaring red eyes and sharp snarling fangs with saliva dripping from the tips. I felt my face turn white as it melted into the darkness. I heard my bedroom door slam shut and knew a retreat to safety was out of the question. My only chance was to get out. Somehow, I managed to get down the stairs and reached the front door but the lock was melted. I stared in complete disbelief and my body went stiff as I felt the hot breath on my neck right before the sticky spit of the shadow dripped onto my shoulder. Click! The entry hall light flipped on and my parents stared at me with concern as they led me back to bed, talking about how I must have been sleepwalking. 

October 15th, 2021 Five by Apink

Greg had built four towers, each one taller and sturdier than the last. His younger sister Grace had proven his towers weren't a match for her as she had easily toppled them all. "Gracie is attacking the city!" She cried with a giggle as charged into the room and crashed into the tower. Greg scowled, he hated this game. He had an idea though since Grace wanted to break his towers just as he had finished them. Over the next week, Greg carefully built his tower again. Brick by brick, he stacked them in the most structurally sound way he could think of and soon it stood five meters high. With a nod of appreciation at his work, he went to the kitchen for a sandwich. He had just finished assembling his turkey and tomato snack when he heard a crash from his room. With a smile, he picked up his sandwich and followed the sound, finding Grace rubbing her head and looking confused. "Greggy, why didn't it break?" Grace asked. Greg smiled deeper and replied, "because I made it Grace proof with quick-drying glue!" 

October 18th, 2021 Beautiful by Crush 

My heart beat hard in my chest, the blood was pumping in my ears. I bounced on the balls of my feet a few times as I stood there, waiting while making small talk with my date's parents. I was nervous as it was, their grilling me wasn't helping. I answered their questions as honestly as I could but stopped mid-sentence as a creak from the stairs brought our attention to their daughter standing on the landing in a sparkling white dress with matching shoes. "Beautiful" I gasped before I could stop myself. Her father turned and stared at me with a hard look. "Yes she is. Have her home by ten". 

October 19th, 2021 Q&A by Cherry Bullet

"What sound does a monkey make?" The teacher asked the class. The class responded with oohs and aahs trying to sound like monkeys. "Very good! Now, what sound does a cow make?" The classroom was filled with sounds of mooing. "Final question, this one is just for Johnny. What happened to your homework?" Johnny looked up from his doodles and blinked in surprise. "Well Ma'am, I had it all done but my little brother got hungry and ate it!" 

October 20th, 2021 The Fearless Ones by Changmo, The Quiett, Sik-K & Beenzino 

Four men walked down the road at dusk, laughing and high-fiving as they recounted their adventures from their youths. "Man, were we young and dumb!" They laughed louder. As they reached the street they all lived on, they came to a halt as they saw four teenage girls sneaking out of their houses and running as fast as they could away from where the men stood unnoticed. "Uh...should we go after them?" A look of concern was clear as day on the first man's face. "Tch, naw. Let them have their fun," another chimed in. "When we were their age, we were pretty fearless ourselves. Clenching a fist and looking fierce he added "besides, it will be more fun to scare the daylights of our daughters whenever they get home!" 

October 21st, 2021 Mamma Mia by Kara

The road had been long and hard, Bruno had to walk the last stretch of the blacktop after his truck broke down. Having been transporting goods all over Italy and her neighboring countries, Bruno wanted nothing more at this moment to crawl into bed and sleep for a week. He would have to send someone to retrieve his truck at some point, but for now, he was focused entirely on getting home. An hour later, he trudged up the steps to his door. Turning the key, he was greeted by the most powerful of smells of food that lay forgotten in his childhood memories. Hurrying to the kitchen, Bruno stood in shock upon seeing his dear old mum stirring a big pot of sauce. "Mamma Mia!" He cried, closing the gap between them to embrace her tightly. This is a pleasant and welcome surprise! Fatigue forgotten, Bruno ate his mother's cooking with gusto as they regaled each other with news of what they had been doing in the month since Bruno's departure. 

October 22nd, 2021 Dance The Night Away by Twice

My body swayed in time to the music, I was here to relax and have a good time, after all. "Excuse me, Senorita, but may I ask how long you plan to dance like that?" Tall, dark, and handsome asked as he approached me. I smiled shyly, "I dunno, maybe a few minutes, maybe a few hours. Why do you ask?" He bowed deeply as he responded "it would be an honor to dance with you, never before have I seen such grace and beauty. May I?" Our eyes locked as he extended his hand. I accepted his hand and we danced together the entire night until dawn when we went our separate ways. I never learned his name, but I will never forget the thrill of that night. 

October 25th, 2021 Love Sick Girls by Blackpink

Dracula paced the corridor in front of the great golden doors, concern sketched deeply into his face. The doors creaked open as the air whooshed in as Doctor Frankenstein stalked out. "Veil?" Dracula inquired. "How are vey?" Dr. Frankenstein shook his head gravely. "I am afraid they are very, very ill. They suffer from the most dreaded of diseases to monster kind." Dr. Frankenstein closed his eyes and half-whispered "they have the" he shuddered visibly before finishing "the love sickness!" Dracula drew back, pulling his cloak up to cover his nose only leaving his wide eyes uncovered. "My brides suffer from the love sickness?! How?! Is it treatable?" Dr. Frankenstein sighed heavily. "It is treatable, but the cause is unknown. The treatment is also most disturbing, you must indulge in their need for, ugh, fluffy things." 

October 26th, 2021 The Rose by Lee Hi

The wraith wailed behind me as I ran faster, I never should have opened the tomb on that dumb dare. I struggled to keep going, the pain in my side was intense and my lungs burned from the physical exertion, the only thing that has kept me running at this point was the pure adrenaline and my will to live. I felt the wraith's cold hand narrowly brush my cheek as I tripped over a rock and landed in front of a rose bush. I couldn't run anymore, I plucked a flower and turned towards the wailing spirit. I held the rose out, the moonlight made its petals seem ghostly somehow. The wraith stopped in mid-scream, staring at my offering with curiosity. As it extended a hand and touched the rose, a golden light expanded within the ghost, and in its gruesome place stood the spirit of a girl in flowing white robes and a smile on her face under her dark hair. "Thank you for the gift," she said as she turned and faded into the night. 

October 27th, 2021 LA DI DA by Everglow

I have always found my aunt's house to be creepy. It's mostly normal, except for the dolls. My aunt collects all kinds of dolls which she puts on display everywhere. Ragdolls, porcelain dolls, and dummies, if it's a doll my aunt wants them. Imagine then my disbelief and dread when my mom decided to drop me off for a weekend. My pleas fell on deaf ears and now I am lying in bed, covers pulled up to my nose and I am wide awake because I swear one of those dolls has moved. As my eyes dart from one to the other, I hear a faint sound. It's almost like a little girl singing. My ears perk up at the sound and I turn and stare at the door in horror as the singing got more distinctive. "La di da! La di da!" It was slightly muffled but it was right outside of my room. CRASH! My door barely hung on the hinges but my eyes stared at the porcelain girl in a pink dress that stood in the doorway. "La di dee, la di da!" She sang, taking a couple of steps towards me. "Gertrude! You know full well that behavior isn't allowed in my house! Back to your cabinet young lady!" My aunt scolded the doll. Gertrude looked at my aunt with sad eyes and hung her head as she left the room. "Sorry about that, my dear, sometimes my children get a little rambunctious when someone comes to visit," my aunt smiled at me. 

October 28th, 2021 One Shot by B.A.P.

The full moon was beautiful against the velvet sky, I wished I had time to admire it. But I was here to hunt, not to admire the sky. I raised my rifle and picked my way through the forest, trying hard not to step on anything that might give away my presence. "Awwoooooo!" The unmistakable howl broke the silence as I stopped dead in my tracks. I held my breath, listening hard for any sounds after the mournful wail had ended. Almost too late, I felt the hot breath of the beast on my neck and I fell to the ground to face it as I felt a claw narrowly miss me. The shaggy fur wasn't enough to hide its snarling features, the werewolf before me was less of a man and more of a beast and at that moment I knew it was him or me. I fired my rifle, containing a silver bullet meant for this beast and he collapsed in a heap. I watched him revert to his human form and as I returned to the village I prayed the nightmare was finally over. 

October 29th, 2021 She's In The Rain by The Rose

The time was 3 am, I was walking home from a killer Halloween party when it suddenly started down pouring out of now where. The quickest way to my house was to cut through the cemetery, but I usually avoided it because it always creeped me out so much. It was either cut through or freeze even more though so I turned in. As I got deeper into the graveyard, I noticed a mist started to form at the base of the tombstones. Feeling a little nervous, I decided to move a bit faster. The rain continued to come down even harder which made me want to move even faster but I heard what sounded like crying behind me. I stopped mid-step and looked behind me. A young woman in a torn white wedding dress stood next to a grave marker, her face in her hands wailing loudly with her back to me. I cautiously approached her, every fiber of my being screamed at me to just run but I resisted the urge. "Um...he-hello?" I called out softly. The woman seemed to have heard me, she went rigid and slowly lowered her hands. She spun around shrieking, her ghastly visage caused me to scream myself as I bolted for the gate. I ran as hard as I could, never daring to turn back. I didn't slow down until I ran into my front door and got it unlocked. I promptly ran around my house, turning on every light that I could and then I flung myself into bed, squeezing my teddy tightly under my blankets.

November 1st, 2021 Make It by 2pm

Paul and David entered into a marathon race together, they ran at a steady pace for the majority of it when Paul suddenly got a cramp in his leg. "Hey, are you alright, man?" David asked, concerned. Paul drew in a ragged breathe before replying "I have a cramp dude, I don't know if I can finish..." David looked around, jogged over to a volunteer handing out water, and gave a cup to Paul. "You got this. Take a breather, massage the muscle a bit and if I have to help you limp over the finish line, I will. We will make it, together." The combination of the pep talk, fierce look of determination, and his friend's support got Paul on his feet and crossing the finish line a little bit later to the sound of the spectators cheering.

November 2nd, 2021 It's Raining by Snuper

Tanya strolled down the street with her friend Fabian, talking about the talent show that would be taking place next week. Stopping at a shop to look at clothes, Tanya giggled as she flipped through the clothes on the rack while Fabian struggled with an internal conflict. Tanya's brow furrowed in concern, "Is everything alright, Fabian?" The young looked up in surprise and blushed deeply. "Ah, urn, that is," he stammered, trying to think of something quickly. Realizing he had nothing, he went for broke. "I like you, Tanya, I would like to be more than friends. I hope you feel the same." Thunder rumbled overhead as Tanya stared in shock and Fabian fled from the store as fast as he could. How could he be so dumb? There isn't any way she could ever possibly like him like that! In his haste and deep in thought, Fabian tripped over his own feet. Rolling over to stand up again, his eyes locked with Tanya's, who had followed after him from the store. "Did you mean what you said, Fabian? Do you really...like...me?" Tanya inquired. Fabian turned a deeper shade of red as he replied "well, yeah, I do-" the sky released a flood of heavy cold rain as Tanya leaned in and kissed Fabian deeply. When Tanya pulled away, she look dumbstruck as if Fabian had just kissed her first. "It's raining" she giggled and the pair stood up and walked to a nearby umbrella store.

November 3rd, 2021 Black Mirror by Oneus

"I double-dog dare you!" Timmy exclaimed with a big grin on his face. Angela rolled her eyes in disgust. "Fine, if it will shut you up, I will prove to you I am not the big chicken you are!" As she turned and stomped up the hill to the creepy old Hudson House. The place sat abandoned for over 20 years, the local kids would test their courage by daring each other to retrieve something cool from within. The door swung open with a creak and Angela walked inside to look for a treasure. Stopping only for a moment to think, Angela went up the dusty red-carpeted stairs and found a bedroom. Walking straight over to the dresser, she picked up a small hand mirror and calmly left the house. Timmy was waiting for her to come back and she shoved the mirror into his hands. "There, now leave me alone!" She said as she stormed off. Timmy looked down at the mirror and watched as the surface turned black as night and laughter rang out. The boy dropped the mirror and ran as fast as he could, screaming as an older girl stepped out from behind a tree, laughing as she picked up the mirror and twirled it in her fingers. "That will teach him to mess with my little sis."

November 4th, 2021 Pool by Adoy

The blazing hot sun rose ever higher in the clear summer sky as Clyde went about his chores of mowing the lawn, cleaning out the gutters, and straightening out the garage. He has started in the early morning and by noon he was drenched sweat but all that was left was to deal with the garage. Sally, the girl next door, called over the fence at Clyde. "You're working too hard! Come take a dip in the pool, at least until it cools down a few degrees!" Clyde took her up on the offer, first swimming laps and then splashing in good fun with Sally. Clyde decided to put off his chores for the day and woke up early the next morning to tackle the next task before the heat became too much again.

November 5th, 2021 I Wanna Be by Key

Scott hung his head, feigning remorse. He was in detention again, the 3rd time this month. His mom was sitting next to him and the school counselor sat behind her desk, droning on and on about the "importance" of school and how his decisions now could impact him later. "I hope you're listening, young man. I can not stress enough how dangerous and reckless it was to release the lab rats into the school. But let's focus on your future for a moment. What do you want to be when you become an adult?" Scott raised his head and declared proudly "I wanna be a secret agent, but dealing more with setting animals free!" The counselor scoffed and his mom tried to hide her embarrassment. 20 years later, Scott walked down a back alley and broke into a laundry mat via the back door. Locating a hidden door in the floorboards, he slipped down to find many exotic and endangered animals stashed away in cages. He snapped a few pictures and flipped open his phone, pressing a speed dial button. "Location confirmed, send in the team."

November 8th, 2021 I'm OK by Hwayobi

Tammy decided to take her 4-year-old daughter to the park for the day. The pair wore matching bright green dresses and sun hats, upon reaching the park Tammy sat on a bench with the other moms while Mandy ran over to the playground equipment to play. It was turning out to be a great day out until Mandy fell off the monkey bars. Tammy rushed over, worry flooding her brain. Mandy stood up and dusted herself off just as Tammy reached her side. "Don't worry, Mommy! I'm OK!"

November 9th, 2021 ChittyChitty BangBang and Miss Korea by Lee Hyori

Joan, Soobeanie, and Rosie could barely contain their excitement and giggling as they lead poor Ashley down the street. Ashley protested as they went, claiming they had already done plenty for her birthday. "Seriously guys, between dinner and the shopping, I am almost spent! Where are you dragging me now??" Joan winked at the other girls. "Someplace you'll love, trust us!" Soobeanie ran forward and dragged Ashley along a few feet and she yelled "FASTER! FASTER! We have to get there tonight, not tomorrow!" Upon reaching their destination, Rosie put a blindfold on Ashley. "It's a surprise what we are doing, have we ever led you astray?" Before Ashley could answer Joan said, "don't answer that!" Ashley felt herself being led somewhere and seated on a bench. A tune started to play and Ashley asked "are we at a singing room?" A voice started to sing, Ashley ripped her blindfold off and stared with her mouth open as Lee Hyori serenaded her. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLEY!!" The three girls yelled in unison.

November 10th, 2021 Wifey by NS Yoon-G

Thelma worked hard to put herself through med school and to support her family. She worked tirelessly, never complaining but the stress of it all was starting to show. Her husband Jim found her in the garden one day, teaching the children how to properly plant crops to get the best yield. With a smile, he turned and went back inside. Three hours later, Thelma and the children came in from weeding and planting to find Jim blocking the path into the kitchen. "You kids run along upstairs, get washed up, and take your dinner out on the back patio. Your momma and I are gonna dine alone this evening." With a look of disbelief, Thelma went up to the master bedroom to shower and change. When she came back down, she found Jim waiting to escort her to the dining room. Pulling her chair out like a gentleman, Jim seated himself after lighting a candle in the center of the table. "Today is our wedding anniversary and I am still counting my lucky stars I got the best Wifey in the world!"

November 11th, 2021 Love Song by Miss A, Touch by Miss A, and Hush by Miss A

Megan walked over to the jukebox, put a bit of money into it, and strolled onto the dance floor as the first notes of the dance number she selected started to play. Moving and swaying in time with the music, she closed her eyes and lost herself in the beat. At a nearby table, a man watched her dancing and decided to join her. "Hi, I'm Johnny," he said. Opening one eye, Megan smiled and made the hush motion before turning her back on him. Undeterred, Johnny went to the jukebox and selected a new song before returning to Megan's side. A sweet melody started to play and Megan spun around to face him. "What do you want Johnny? To touch? To kiss? What?" She demanded. Johnny smiled and bowed slightly. "At the moment, I would just like a dance and to know your name, if that's alright." The girl smiled at him mischievously as she embraced him for the dance. "My name is Megan and you should probably know it will take more than a love song to get to know me."

November 12th, 2021 Undercover by A.C.E.

A little boy approached a man reading a newspaper on a park bench. "Whatcha doin', Mister?" The boy asked. "Reading my paper and watching the birds," the gentleman replied before asking "What might you be up to?" The boy looked left and right before whispering "I am looking for bad guys! But they don't know I am looking for them!" The man lowered his paper and looked at the boy with an expression of seriousness. "You mean you're undercover? Don't mind me then, I believe one of your "bad guys" is over by the drinking fountain." The boy looked where the man said and saw one of his friends trying to conceal himself from view. "Thanks, mister!" He called as he ran. The man's wife came back from getting popcorn for the birds wearing a bewildered expression. "What was that all about?" She asked. The man smiled as he answered "the boy is playing a game of hide-and-seek with his friends, but was having trouble. I gave him a clue to find one since the little rascals were moving from spot to spot."

November 15th, 2021 Missing you by Baby V.O.X.

The young man sighed as he collapsed on his hotel bed, exhausted from the day-long meetings. After resting his eyes for a moment, he forced himself to sit up and dial the telephone. "Hi dear, how's it going?" A voice like honey wine asked. "It's going alright honey, I'm just super tired," he replied to the inquiry. "I tell ya, I would much rather be doing the actual construction over these endless meetings. As back-breaking as it is, at least I get to come home to you at the end of the day." A brief moment of silence passed between them before his wife replied "I know Love, I am missing you too."

November 16th, 2021 Crazy by 4MINUTE

A boy sat down to dinner with his parents, telling them about his day. "I saw a dog, a brown scruffy thing and he lead me down an ally. A leprechaun popped out of nowhere and he chased the dog away!" The boy explained enthusiastically. "Then a little alien ship landed nearby and the dog shrank and fly off with them!" The boy's parents shared a knowing smile, their son had an impressive imagination. His mother replied, "it sounds like you had a crazy sort of day." The boy laughed, "Yep! Super crazy!"

November 17th, 2021 I'm Okay by Saay

Heather sighed heavily as she walked into the classroom. A group of girls giggled as she walked past them to her seat, her best friend Amanda rushed over. "Girl, I heard what happened! Adam is such a jerk!" Heather raised her eyes to look at her as she responded "Yep. He cheats on me, he's the jerk but people are laughing at me. I'm okay though, he isn't worthy of my time."

November 18th, 2021 Trick It by Twice

Tim and Todd ran as fast as they could, they dared not to look bad but could hear the giant Thump! Thump! of the footsteps behind them. Grabbing Tim's hand, Todd dived into a bush and ran in the opposite direction before hiding behind a pillar. A confused and angry roar rang out as they dived. The heavy footsteps grew closer and closer. The boys didn't dare breathe and soon the sound grew faint in the distance. "That," Todd smiled, "is how you trick a troll." Tim's visage grew dark as he replied "if you hadn't stolen his sweet roll, we wouldn't have needed to trick it!" Todd laughed as he pulled the roll out of his bag. "Giant treat to satisfy me? Yes please!"

This concludes the part two of the mini-stories, my thanks to everyone who has supported me so far and those who will support me in the future. I am only able to write now because of the support and encouragement I received from Ashley, a fellow listener who became a friend, and a dear friend whom I have known longer than I have known Sound K. The smallest of actions or words can encourage and inspire people in a variety of ways. I will continue to write mini-stories for my song requests, compiling them for future reference. Perhaps more collections will be compiled and released, perhaps not. Only time will tell.