43 Instructor Yang

Slim, pale girls in eye-catching workout clothes were stretching in different and varied positions under the bright LED lights. Some used the wooden handrail near the shiny wall mirrors while others simply stretched with their body. The walnut wooden flooring and red brick wallpaper gave the room a homely feel, a deep contrast to the tense and anxious pupils. They were awaiting their dance instructor for the afternoon class, diligent in not spending a moment to rest.

These young girls barely slept a wink and worked laboriously every day in hopes to finally achieve the dream of debuting. They wasted away their whole childhood and life for the chance to do so, some not even having any ambition to pursue higher education or other work areas. It was all fun and games to the media who used these vulnerable girls to create exhausting debut shows, giving the netizens a glimpse of the stressful and fragile life of an idol trainee.

"When is Yu Yan coming?" A tall girl wearing a knotted back crop top asked annoyingly. She leisurely tightened the laces of her Noke shoes, glancing upwards at another girl.

"Dunno, she's probably gonna be late again," The pony-tailed girl replied, her delicate lips humming as she watched the clock tick. "It's almost 4:30, Instructor Yang is not going to be happy, that's for sure."

And sure enough, Instructor Yang came in the room with a bang. The flustered trainees immediately settled into their respective spots, ready to hustle and learn.

"I see that you guys are prepared," Instructor Yang said, casually dropping her sports bag on the floor. "So let's get started right away."

Instructor Yang was a charming woman in her mid-thirties, possessing a rather muscular build. Her arch eyebrows and slanted eyes embraced a feisty look as she confidently raised her two hands to her lower hips, ready to lecture her students head-on. The entertainment industry wasn't suitable for all of them, but she knew they would succeed in some way or another.

"Though most of y'alls won't be doing hip-hop if you debut, you still gotta learn the fundamentals," Instructor Yang led with an assuring voice. "When people think of modern or trendy dancing, they usually think something along the lines of b-boying, locking and popping, or some other dance. So today, we'll be learning some locking and popping. Now, it may seem difficult at first, but—"

Instructor Yang's voice cut off when her ears caught wind of a door creak, her piercing blue eyes glaring towards the glass opening. Slowly, the door hastily revealed two timid girls, one of them unfamiliar. Yu Yan was apprehensively looking around to make sure Instructor Yang wasn't there yet when suddenly she made eye-contact and almost jumped backward.

"I-Instructor Yang, sorry for being late," Yu Yan sheepishly smiled, messily rubbing the back of her head before strongly bowing. "I was guiding a new trainee here."

"Oh?" Instructor Yang mocked, curiously raising an eyebrow. "Trainee 124, remind these two fellow ladies on why do we not take attendance in this class?"

The girl with the knotted back crop top immediately shouted, "Because we come to this class to learn, not to get graded. We all come willingly and with respect for the teacher who graciously teaches us every day, we never come in late!"

Yi Fei gulped. She knew it was a mistake to come attend training earlier than intended.