22 The Mystery Artist is Revealed

Pop, squeak, scribble. Iris was bent over in front of the wall where the trainees wrote their hopes and wishes under the big Produce 48 logo. Currently in the waiting room to be sent out to the pyramid, Iris finished her words and gave a nod.

It read: For myself, my family, my company, and my muse, I'm here to chase what seemed like an impossible dream. I will become a better version of myself. Fighting!

Once that was done, she recapped the marker and returned it. Then she walked around the room, inspecting every detail. She really couldn't believe she was on the set of Produce 48, the third season in a series that she can watched fervently when the previous seasons aired.

Spotting the camera, she strolled up to it and waved. "Producers~ I will see you very soon!" Iris flailed her arms in excitement and squeezed her eyes. "Ahh~!! I can't believe I'm actually here! I can't wait!" She hopped up and down and squished her face.

The signal to enter flashed, and Iris calmed herself down. Slowly she walked toward the triangle tunnel, the entrance to the pyramid stage.

'Ok Iris, look cool. You're representing Big Hit. Oh wait, no. Would it be cool but friendly? Tough cool would be YG. Not everyone is as swaggy as Suga. Or maybe quirky instead? BTS is pretty quirky…'

She laughed to herself. 'That's right. BTS. One of their last words was to be yourself and believe in yourself. Just relax, smile, and show your best. Let's go!'

Determination spread across Iris's face, and she confidently walked down the tunnel. She stared straight into the camera and winked cooly with a small wave after. When she did this, Iris instantly heard gasps and murmurs.

"Woah!! It really is Big Hit! They actually sent a female trainee?! No way!"

"Oh my gosh! She's so cool! Look at that wink she did! So pretty!"

Big Hit was the last entertainment company to enter. Since no true Big Three entertainment companies joined this season, only a subsidiary YG K-Plus, Big Hit was the closest company to that standard.

Even though it only had one big successful group, its financial and international standing was on par or greater than any of the Big Three: SM, JYP, and YG. Thus, everyone's expectant eyes were on Iris.

"Big Hit Entertainment…wow," breathed a brunette with to her WM label mates. "I wonder what it's like at Big Hit…"

The girl to her right elbowed her playfully. "I bet you wished you could've been a trainee at Big Hit, am I right Chaeyeon?"

Lee Chaeyeon grinned sheepishly. The idea really was appealing after leaving JYP. But Big Hit didn't accept female trainees. Everyone knew this. That's why it was such a shock when the Big Hit logo popped up on the screen. Everyone thought it was a joke, but Big Hit didn't have any notable subsidiaries to sent in a model or actor like YG did.

"I bet she's really skilled…" thought Chaeyeon as she eyed the raven-haired girl who was currently peering up at the pyramid, wondering where to sit.

Of course, there was only one spot left, but it wasn't easily discernible from her viewpoint. She could always try for the top spot where Her Chanmi was currently sitting, but Iris dismissed that idea. It was better to be humble and work her way up than fall from the top.

From previous seasons, the number one spot didn't debut anyway. Although she wasn't necessarily superstitious, she believed in fate. If her encounters with BTS made her learn anything, it was this one fact. So whatever number was left, that her fateful number.

Soon she spied the empty seat. The girl next to it hesitantly patted the chair after Iris looked at it. Number 53. 'Hmm, that number is awfully close to Jeon Somi's number in the original Produce…' Iris thought pensively before walking up the stairs.

'53… Wait. May 30th?!' That was the date she became a trainee at Big Hit! What were the chances?! Even though it excluded the zero, and Iris really was just making the number significant in her head, she still couldn't help feeling it was fate yet again.

With that good feeling, she sat in the seat and greeted everyone on the way over. 'Making friends, good impression…' She repeated this in her head and kept her smile natural. It wasn't hard because she honestly was so excited and pumped up.

After she sat down, the host, Lee Seung Gi, and the trainers all shortly followed in suit. Everyone on the pyramid stood up to greet them. Iris gulped, the show really was beginning. She was here. It was real. It was all too surreal. And all too soon, the evaluations began.

When it was almost her turn, Iris paced around in the waiting room. She started hopping in place while shaking her wrists. 'Let's get the nervousness out now. You'll be fine. Just remember everything you've practiced and BTS's pointers. You can't let it go to waste. Yes, you're doing this performance for them too.'

With a firm and steady resolve, Iris was ready. Her name was called, and she trotted up the few steps to the stage in front of the trainers. Although she had been done here while entering, the pyramid suddenly seemed taller and more formidable with the trainers at the bottom.

But Iris didn't focus on this and just greeted the trainers. Thankfully, they were all either smiling or had curious expressions on their faces. She knew they'd probably say something about her company label. And sure enough, they did.

"Your appearance on this show was actually very sudden! I heard you only had a day to prepare?" one of the vocal trainers, Soyou commented with intrigued eyes.

Iris nodded. "Yes, I just found out yesterday. Actually, that day was my one year anniversary at Big Hit. So I found it funny that my seat was 53, like May 30th."

One of the things Iris had learned from the show, was that MNET liked spinning up these sorts of tales about numbers. So it didn't hurt to add that in.

"Really?!" All the trainers gasped in mild surprise. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you become a Big Hit trainee? As far as we know, they don't scout or accept female trainees," asked Bae Yoon Jeong, one of the dance trainers.

Iris had been hoping that the conversation would naturally lead to this point.

"Actually, I had met BTS by chance during American Hustle Life since I live in LA. I met them again during their Wings tour in LA again, and some of the members recognized me from then. I got to share one of the songs that I composed with Namjoon. I was so surprised when he shared my song which was on Soundcloud, and even more surprised when Big Hit asked me to be a temporary composer!"

Everyone from the trainers to the trainees were all listening with rapt attention. Many breathed in wonder at the amazing fateful string of events. They also subconsciously noted that she must've been very talented for the Big Hit management to actually extend a job offer toward someone overseas.

"Wait, Namjoon? I remember this. All the fans were trying to figure out the identity of the artist who composed 'Neverland,' was it?" Soyou queried.

"Yes, Neverland," confirmed Iris. "I'm actually performing that today. It's a very meaningful song that got me into music and where I am today."

"Wow, that's an amazing story.." murmured Soyou. "So you became a trainee shortly after becoming their composer?"

"That's correct. At the end of the temporary job period, Bang PD asked if I wanted to become a trainee."

"Are you the only female trainee?" Cheetah, the rap trainer interjected curiously.

"Yes." Iris knew that from here on out, a lot of expectations would be placed on her. But she accepted this coming in, so she wasn't going to buckle under the pressure now.

The trainers then allowed her to start her performance. Some of the trainees leaned forward in their chairs. Some of them knew the song, Neverland. In a sense, some of them were fans. So they were astonished to find out that the mysterious artist was actually a Big Hit trainee! It was all coming together, and right now, they could be possibly witnessing the next international superstar.

Iris positioned herself in the center. And at the sound of Neverland, she began.