NOVEMBER 29, 2017:  2:36 Pm - Seoul, south Korea. 

"Fresh faces?"  Yeo Woon scoffed.  "I don't get paid enough for this."  She was on her way to one of the company's dance practice rooms to get all of 1RIS's current members.  As she walked the halls, she picked out some familiar faces among the trainees she passed.  Sora, Dayeon, Bada, even Usagi, so many of them had been part of the girl group's lineup at one time or another.  That didn't even include the few who'd left altogether or transferred to other companies.  She sighed.  "There aren't even that many trainees at the company to begin with, and the CEO's messing around again.  He better know what he's doing."

Soon enough, she was outside the practice room.  Music could be heard through the frosted glass of the door.  She quietly opened it and slipped inside, finding herself a corner to observe the girls from.  They were good, though it only made sense that they should be after working together for so long.  She had to admit that, for all his eccentricity, CEO Mook knew how to train a group.  She had no doubt in her mind that they could make a name for themselves if the right factors came together for their debut.  Then the routine was done, and the music ended.  Everyone dispersed, some slumping down to the floor while others moved to their bags.  Most of the grls had started conversing and hadn't noticed her just yet, so she thought to get away with a little scare to lighten the mood.  She'd need them happy for this announcement.

"Sorry to interrupt," Yeo Woon said slightly louder than necessary, smiling a little as a few of them jumped.  "That was great, by the way."

"Thanks," a girl with long, wavy brown hair walked over to her.  "This is a perfect time for interruptions actually.  We were about to take a break."

Yeo Woon smiled at her and said, "That's awesome because the CEO needs to see all of you."  She heard chatter die down as heads turn toward her from all around the room.  "Don't look at me like that.  You're making me feel like I'm leading lambs to the slaughterhouse."

"But aren't you though?  The last time we saw the CEO, it was because a member was deciding to leave," another girl huffed from her spot at the mirror.  She had hip-length brown hair to match her dark brown eyes, and her rose lips were turned down in a frown.

"Nell, listen.  It won't be that bad, okay?  Maj, help me out here."

The wavy-haired girl, Maj, stepped forward.  "Calm down, everyone.  We're all in this together.  Besides, we can't just reject the person who's holding our fate as a group in his hands because we're scared of what he'll say.  We've made it this far already.  We're better than that."

There were sounds of agreement from the other girls.  Nell still had a dubious look on her face, but she begrudgingly agreed as well.  "No one's leaving," she said.  It was more a statement of fact than a question.

Yeo Woon nodded in agreement.  "Well if that's what you're worried about, don't be.  You're right about that.  Now, everyone needs to get ready and meet me in the boardroom on the third floor."  She her heel and left.

Six girls sat quietly in one of Deft Sound Entertainment's boardrooms, shifting uncomfortably in their seats.  They'd all been here way too many times, and it never seemed to go well.

"What do you guys think it is this time?" one of the girls asked.  She was toying with her long brown ponytail.

"I don't know, Maddie.  You tell me.  You've been training the longest," another girl with a shoulder-length bob retorted.

"Hhm, well, I want to say I've been here long enough to know the CEO, but I would be lying.  I can never tell what's going to happen," she shrugged.

"Why don't you sound bothered by that?" Eun Mi piped up from beside her.

"Because I'm not.  He's not predictable, and I like that.  I think it's more fun that way."

"You may enjoy this, Seon," Hai, who was sitting between the two, griped. "But I don't think I can stand another lineup change.  I'm starting to regret being dragged here."

"Where?  Room, group, or company?" Maddie asked.

"All of the above, but mostly to this room.  If we all threatened to go to a different company, they'd let us debut, right?" Hai asked only half-joking.

"Hai, you're my spirit animal," the girl with the bob laughed out.

"Right back at you, Min."

Seon couldn't help but snicker.  "Well, your hairstyles are similar.  You're basically twinning right now."

"That's so..." Hai began, but they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the room.  There was the sound of voices, and then the doorknob turned.  They held their breaths.  The door opened to reveal CEO Mook, who casually made his way to the table and sat down across from the girls.  After him came Hye Soo and Yeo Woon, along with two mystery figures.

"Hello girls, how are you this fine afternoon?" he asked.  The girls chorused a greeting, and each gave their answers, some more enthusiastically than others.

"Right then.  I know you're wondering why I called you here and who these girls sitting beside me are.  Well, and I'm sure this will excite you, they will be the final addition to your group."

A variety of emotions crossed their six faces at the idea of more members.  This was going to be another one of those meetings.  The never-ending stream of trainees in and out of 1RIS had been hard on all of them, and no one was ready to go through that again.  Maj was ready to reject this as the group's leader when something suddenly occured to her, and she asked, "Final?"

"Yes, final.  Meet Lucie and MinA, both of whom are originally from other companies.  They'll be your group members from now on.  With this addition, I think you're finally ready, so I intend to start gearing up for your debut."

Debut.  The sound of the word was almost foreign to them.  It seemed so abstract at this point, it was hard to comprehend it.  They were focusing so much on the loaded word that they almost missed what he said next.  "Girls, I know you've been waiting for some time for you're chance in the sun, so think of this as the light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel."

"That doesn't even begin to describe it," Yeo Woon murmured, but the CEO shrugged her off.

"From this moment, 1RIS will be on a countdown to its debut, which I've set for March 18, 2018.  That's less than four months from now, but I think you'll do well.  I expect each of you to give it your very best."  He paused to allow the girls time to express their excitement.  "You will also be moving to a new dorm, and, to help you along to stardom, I've asked our current idols to act as mentors to you.  I'll be anticipating your success."

None of them could believe their ears, but they'd heard right.  They had a debut date.  They were debuting.  "Still regret getting 'dragged here'?"  Eun Mi whispered to a teary-eyed Hai.

"What?" came the CEO's response.

"Nothing.  Thank you very much, CEO Mook."

The rest of the girls voiced their gratefulness as well.  Yeo Woon looked around the room.  For once, one of these meetings had ended in real smiles and laughter.  She was happy for the girls and even happier for herself.  No more mixing and matching or sitting in the CEO's office doing little to nothing.  It made her want to join in the laughter, but she caught herself.  She turned to Hye Soo, who patted her on the back and smiled.

"It seems it's time to begin now, isn't it?"

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