AUDITION

JAEYON

"MOM!!!" I screamed when I get inside our house.

"Hey! What happened?" She asked me worriedly.

"I am going to follow my dreams. You're always telling me to do what I want while I am still alive, right?"

"Yeah! What is it?" she asked confusingly.

"I am about to audition now in LC Entertainment and I will become the next idol you can watch on the television!!!" I said while imagining those things.

"That's good?!" she exclaimed.

"I don't need this anymore. I don't need school because the school needs me" and I began tearing the paper containing my grades.

"What are you saying?"

"The school needs me basically means that if I become an idol someday, they will be going to invite me to perform and the students there will go crazy because of my wonderful performance" I continued saying while putting extra shirts inside of my bag.

"I don't know what happened to my son. Just do whatever you want that will make you happy." She said and continued washing the plates.

"I am leaving now Mom! See you later! Remember, I always love you for being the best mom in this world!" before I left, I hugged her and kissed her cheeks.

"You're so sweet, my son. What do you want, huh?" she asked curiously.

"I need money for my audition. Of course, I am going to eat and pay for fare" She removed her gloves and get her wallet.

"Here" my eyes widened when I saw the money she gave me.

"Is this for real, mom?" I clarified because it's 35,000 won that is equivalent to 30 US Dollars.

"Yes. I just received my bonus from my boss. Be diligent in making purchases, okay? Have fun! I am always here for you" she said and I hugged her again.

"You must go now and you'll be late. For sure there are lots of aspirants there now!"

"Noted mom! Thank you again!" and I finally left our house. I am now walking to the bus station right now happily.

"Oh, shocks! I forgot to message Jaesung." I stopped for a while to check if there is any message from Jaesung but I haven't received any.

"What's on him? I already told him that we're going to leave early." I whispered while still waiting for a message. I opened my messages app and compose one for him.

Jae Yon: Meet me at the bus station if you're willing to accompany me. I am taking another way to buy something in a convenience store so I won't be able to pass by your house.

I am about to send the message when someone bumps on me that makes me sit on the ground and my phone spits out.

"What the heck!" I said while I feel the pain in my butt. When I looked at the one who bumps me, I got shocked when it's Jaesung who's crying right now.

"Hey, why are you crying?" I asked him and he looked at me. I am about to help him to get up when he stands up and hugs me tightly. His crying becomes more aggressive as if someone hurts him so bad.

"I know you're not okay. What happened? Why are you crying?" I asked him but he's still not responding.

"Hey, please answer me! Let me know why you're crying? Does someone bully you?" I asked again

*horn*

I was startled when I heard a horn behind us. It's a motor that needs to pass by. We're in the middle of the road and we're blocking the driveway.

"Get up now. Let's go anywhere else" I stand up and help him. I also get my phone which has a shattered screen since it doesn't have a case and the impact is too strong.

Jaesung and I went to the convenience store where I am going as well.

~*~

We finally reached the convenience store and I left Jaesung on the table while I am looking for something. I bought him water and an energy drink for me.

When I already paid for it, I went back at him and gave him the bottle of water.

"So, what happened? Does your dad scold you?" I really know someone who can make him cry bad like that and it's only his dad.

"So Am I right? He got disappointed about your grades since you're not be qualified anymore for any medicine courses?" and he nodded as the sign of his answer. I know his story because I witnessed the pressure he gets from his father since we were young.

"Hoogh. I don't know why he needs to pressure you so much. He must let you do what you want because you're not a retirement plan. We're not. They make us and let us live in this world as if we demanded then now holding our lives as if our freedom is theirs?" I ranted. A moment of silence passed when Jaesung spoke.

"I am interested in auditioning with you today." My eyes widened and looked at him immediately.

"Are you serious about that?"

"Yes. I already made a decision and it's my right to make one for myself"

"That's good. So, let's go now?" I got even more excited and I stand up now.

"Could you let me change my clothes? Look at me, I am not presentable anymore. Lend me the clothes you brought" He knows that I always brought spare clothes for emergency purposes.

"Here" I gave it to him and he proceeded to the comfort room of the convenience store.

After a while, we headed to the LC Entertainment Main Building, and lots of aspirants were exposed in our eyes. The building is huge that can accommodate a lot of people too.

"There are lots of youth that trying their luck and chances to be part of this company" I heard Jaesung murmur.

"Yes, because it's LC Entertainment. One of the biggest companies here in South Korea. As I told you before, they're one of the greatest and gladly they opened audition" I replied to him.

We went to the queue and the staff gave us a sticker number that we're going to stick in our clothes so the judges could identify us quickly.

"For those who are now hungry, you may leave the queue and have lunch with the cafeteria. It's free of charge. Just show your sticker number. Thank you!" The announced staff. Since there are still a lot in the line, I invited Jaesung to have lunch since I don't eat yet and for sure, it's the same with him.

"Shall we? It's free of charge?" and he smiles widely at me. We went to the cafeteria and made us amazed so much due to the various dishes in front of us.

~*~

JAESUNG

5 HOURS LATER…

After we ate, we came back to the queue and wait patiently. I am excited to showcase my hidden talent. The judges will be going to score our dance, singing, visuals, and talking skills.

In regards to multilingual and rapping, this will be conducted once we became a trainee of the company. There are a lot of lessons and I heard that LC Entertainment has the strictest and very tiring training system in South Korea.

A staff appeared holding a mic and began speaking. "We regret to inform everyone in the queue that our last day of the audition is already finished. We will open an audition for new trainees around the last quarter next year and stay tuned for that. We're sorry again for those who didn't get into our list"

I heard a lot of murmured from parents and aspirants. A lot of us are disappointed about the news.

"I guess we're not really for this thing," I said to Jae Yon.

"That's okay. As I said, at least we tried, right?" He said while patting my shoulder and smiling. We left the queue and Jae Yon thinks about a bright idea.

"What if we wander the building so our visitation here wouldn't be wasted?" he asked and I agreed with it.

"I know it's free now since the food is free of charge as well. But during regular days, they require their visitors a fee to enter" he said. I think he took deep research about this company.

First of all, we visited their merch store. There is a lot of merchandise here including the albums of different groups in this company.

"Someday, we will be going to have an album we made and our photos will be in here," Jae Yon said while holding an album of a specific group. The thing I like about Jae Yon is he's really optimistic in all aspects even it disappoints him. He's not easy to give up.

Since we don't have money to buy merch, we just decided to enter the practice room of the idols. Jae Yon is really amazed at how huge is this room is. It has big mirrors that will help you from dancing to seeing yourself and your movements.

"What if we tried dancing here?" Jae Yon asked me while raising his eyebrow.

"What if it's not allowed for visitors to enter here? Maybe this is only exclusive for idols?" I am hesitant because I think this is too private.

"There is no personnel here as of the moment? Just one dance please!" Since he will become more stubborn if I didn't grant his request, I agreed with his plan even I am nervous about this.

He went to the monitor and look for a piece of music. A piece of familiar instrumental music began to play and Jae Yon started to dance.

I accompanied him dancing and when the rap part is nearing, I stopped to focus on rapping.

"Do you think you can?" He asked while dancing.

"Let's see" the beat for the rap part began and I started rapping it. Jae Yon got shocked because of the speed of my tongue.

After several minutes, we finished the dance together and the instrumental music ended. We heard someone claps behind us and got startled when we saw the CEO of LC Entertainment.

"Hello, Mr. Ji Young" and we bowed after greeting him as a sign of respect.

"You two show great skills as what the idol must possess. Are you one of the new trainees here?" he asked smilingly.

"Actually, no. We're sorry for using the practice room without permission" I answered his question.

"That would be okay. May I ask why you're not getting into the list of trainees?" he asked confusingly.

"We reached the cut-off when we're in the queue," Jae Yon said in a shy voice.

"That's awful to hear. Do you want to become a trainee in this company? If so, why or why not?" Jae Yon responded first. I can see the excitement on his face.

"Being an idol is my dream since I was young. I want to become a professional dancer and to share my knowledge with aspiring kids who want to take the same path same on mine on the next generation"

"I do love arts and I think LC Entertainment could help me to improve my skill and gain knowledge from our seniors and mentors."

"I heard your rap and saw your dancing skills and I am happy to welcome you to the family." My eyes widened and we jump as we heard it.

The CEO call his assistant that appeared immediately. "Could you please add them to the list? They have potential and make them into the CEO picks. Okay?" we become happier as we heard that. Being chosen by the CEO is a big honor.

"Noted on that, Mr."

"It basically means that we're now trainees?" Jae Yon asked unbelievably.

"Yes. My assistant will provide the contract for the trainees and you must fill it up with the parent's consent. That would be, okay?"

"Thank you so much, Mr. Ji Young! We will not disappoint you!" I said in a loud tone of voice due to happiness.

"Nice to hear that. Excuse me, I am going to fix something. If you have queries, just show this card to anyone in this company." And he gave us a credit card type of card with CEO pick label above and our names embossed on the lower part. How fast that they can provide these instantly, huh?