(2015: Present Day)

“Nat, are you ready?” I heard my brother ask as he knocked on the door to our shared bathroom. I swear, that boy would always get ready in five minutes, whereas for me, it took up to two hours to get ready for the day.

This day, though, was different.

I looked in the mirror one last time, trying to calm my pounding heart. My anxiety was already creeping up on me this morning, which my intermittent nausea was a result of. I grabbed my bottle of antianxiety medication, popped a pill into my mouth, and took a drink of water before looking back in the mirror. I tightened the blank bandana headband in my straightened hair, which was keeping the hair out of my face. When straightened, my hair reached the middle of my back, covering my rosary tattoo I had in between my shoulder blades. I checked my makeup. My eyeliner, mascara, and eyeshadow all had to look flawless. “One minute, dude.” I grumbled as I touched up my mascara with one more coat.

“Natalia, you look fine. Now let’s go. I don’t want to make a bad first impression for being late.” Vincent groaned. I heard him slide down my door and sit down.

Easy for him to say. He could wake up and look just as good as he did the night before. His female twin counterpart, however? It took me a little bit of refreshing.

I looked down at my outfit: a grey loose, v-neck PINK tank top and matching black yoga shorts. The choreographers auditioning us would probably want to see body type, so that was why I was wearing something a bit more showing than usual. Not only that, but it took me over a year to get this body. Might as well flaunt it. I let out a nervous sigh.

Here we go.

Any other day, I would be fine. I wouldn’t be freaking out. There were even days I didn’t take my anxiety medication. But today? Today was audition day.

In particular: auditioning to be backup dancers for YG Entertainment.

My brother and I have always loved dancing and singing, but it was never a focus in our lives. Since we are both seven years old, we’ve been taking dance classes, focusing on more of a hip-hop style. The classes weren’t anything that took up a lot of our time; it was just something we took twice a week to blow off steam. Our parents would not find focusing on dancing a positive. They were more interested on our studies and proceeding to get our college degrees. My brother and I had both decided to go into nursing, and we were attending the same school.

Of course, our parents didn’t know about this audition today. If anything good were to come out of it, we would tell them then. For now, our excuse to them as to why we were leaving the house at five in the morning was to go attend a CPR certification class.

I opened my bathroom door, and heard an “Oww!” from Vinny when the door hit him in the process. I watched him as he stood. Of course, my brother had to be dressed in similar colors to what I was wearing. Being twins, we never did this on purpose. It just always happened by chance. My brother had on a tight grey tank top and black basketball athletic shorts. The only difference between us was that he had a simple black flat bill hat covering his mop of shaggy brown hair.

I sighed and grabbed a pair of sweat pants to slide on so my mother wouldn’t see the shorts I was wearing. “Let me get my shoes on and we can go.” I grabbed a pair of my bright pink and yellow Nike Free Run sneakers as Vinny slid on his own pair of black and yellow Nike Free Runs. “Is Mom even awake?”

 Vinny shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s five and Mom doesn’t have school.” Our mother was a second grade school teacher.

We made our way downstairs. Luckily, our mother was not awake. I grabbed my pink duffle bag and the keys to our 2003 Jeep Wrangler we shared, and Vincent grabbed his own grey duffle bag and two bottles of water.

“Do you have the DVD?” I asked my brother as we stepped into the crisp September morning air. I was referring a DVD compilation we had made of various K-Pop dance covers we had done in the past. One of the things my brother and I liked doing in our free time is turn our basement into a dance studio, perform covers of famous K-Pop dances, and post them on our YouTube page. We actually would get up to hundreds of thousands of views. We were bringing it because the first part of the audition was an interview where they actually sat us down and asked us questions. We thought that the video could be a good add on to the whole audition.

Vincent took the DVD case out of his bag. “It hasn’t left this bag.”

We hopped into our Jeep, and started our way to Chicago, which was about an hour drive from our home. If we were at school, it would’ve been two hours away. Vinny plugged his phone into our console, 2NE1’s I am the Best blasting through the speakers. He turned it down and looked at me. “Who do you think we are auditioning to dance for?” When we had heard about the need for dancers and the audition, it never stated specifically who we could be dancing for.

I shrugged. “I really don’t know. YG just kind of suddenly appeared in the states so it could be anyone. Maybe even some kind of new group he wants to debut here.”

---

 “Oh God…” Vincent groaned silently. There were so many people already here for the audition. How could we stand out?

“I’m the one with anxiety issues, so I should be the one freaking out, not you.” I pointed out, checking my phone.

Vincent chuckled when he saw my lock screen. “Three years go past and that picture is still your wallpaper.” He was referring to the best picture I have ever had taken on my phone: the picture Seungri had taken of us three at the Alive concert. I wasn’t as thin then as I was now, but I didn’t care. That memory of Seungri singing to me would always be in my mind. Not only that, but the maknae had called me gorgeous. GORGEOUS.

“When you find a better picture than this, let me know.” I chuckled, putting my phone on silent.

Pretty soon, we made it up to the table. Three people were sitting behind it.

“Names?” The person sitting in the middle asked without looking up.

“Natalia and Vincent Marcs”. I answered for Vinny and I.

The person looked up and smiled when he saw us. “You’re that twin duo, right? The ones that requested to be auditioned with the same number?”

I smiled back and nodded. “That’s us!”

The choreographer checked our names off. He handed us two signs with the number 21 plastered on it, along with some bobby pins. “I’ve seen your guys’ videos on YouTube. You seem like some pretty good contenders.” He looked up at us again and chuckled at our amazed looks we had plastered on our faces. “Pin the signs to your backs. We’ll start once we get everyone signed in.”

“Thank you.” Vinny and I said at the same time before walking into the dance studio. My brother scoffed and looked around the studio. “It looks just like the ones they do their dance practices in in Seoul.”

All I could do is nod in agreement. I was way to amazed to say anything at this point.

----

“Okay, everyone. Gather around.” The same choreographer that signed us in (who’s name was Shawn), said when he and the other two choreographers walked in. We had already been through the interviews and the first round of dancing, which had been the choreographers showing us some basic steps to a song we had to perform. That had gone just fine. Or, well, we hoped it had. Most people had stuck with the choreography taught, while Vincent and I added our own flare to some moves.

We hurried over to the people auditioning us, and Shawn cleared his throat. “When I call your number, step to the left side of the room.”

I looked at my brother nervously as numbers started to be called. Six people had already walked over to the left side of the room.

“Twenty-one. Both Twenty-ones.”

Vinny and I walked over without hesitation. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? They never specified.

A few more people were called, and Shawn continued. “For those of you we didn’t call, we are sorry but you didn’t make the cut. Thank you for your time, but we will need you to leave.”

I squeezed my brother’s arm excitedly. We made it!

We waited for the group that didn’t make it leave the room. Shawn and the choreographers walked over to our group. “And those of you that have made it so far, congratulations. We haven’t been easy on you and you’ve endured.” He looked at the other two choreographers, who nodded. He looked back at us. “It is now my pleasure to explain what and who you are auditioning to dance with.”

Vincent elbowed me discretely and I kept my eyes on Shawn.

Shawn smiled. “It is my pleasure to announce that YG’s most famous band is coming to the USA for a national arena tour. We are looking four up two four new dancers to help out with the performances. Whoever impresses us enough will have the privilege of dancing beside BIGBANG as they embark on this new journey.”

No. Freaking. Way.

This couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t even pay attention to what Sean had said next. BIGBANG? We got to dance for BIGBANG? What was happening?

I snapped back into reality once I felt Vinny pinch my arm. He could probably tell I spaced out.

“Now, our next step will be more a freestyle session. We are going to put on some songs by YG, and we want you guys who remain to just move to the beat. BIGBANG has a specific style, a specific vibe, that can’t be taught. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Oh no. What if we didn’t have the vibe?

“While we watch you, we will be walking around to get a better view of each of you. If during the freestyle you feel a tap on your shoulder, you’re out. Your audition is over and you didn’t make it. Now, to help us out today, we brought in a couple people that may know a thing or two about BIGBANG.” Shawn chuckled and looked to the door, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Come on in, guys!”

Of course, we all looked to the door.

No. no no no no no no no no no no no. This couldn’t be happening. Never in a million years would I think this would happen. It couldn’t. I was dreaming, right? This was a dream. It had to be.

“Everyone, I’d like you to meet the dancers of BIGBANG: Taeyang and Seungri.”

We all clapped as Seungri and Taeyang walked over to Shawn and the choreographers. Vincent let out a nervous breath and turned his hat backwards so that way the bill was in the back. Seungri was the first to smile at all of us. “Welcome and congratulations to all of that made it this far! This looks like a good group of dancers.” He chuckled and shook his head, then held his hands out to all of us. “Too good! Shawn, hyung, are you trying to make the dancers better than BIGBANG?”

I tried my best not to laugh. Typical maknae, exaggerating everything.

I was surprised when Seungri pointed at my brother. “Like you, Twenty-One! What, did you get carved out of marble like a sculpture?”

Vinny’s eyes got so big I thought they were going to burst out of his head. He shook his head repeatedly. “N-no… I just like to work out, dude- I mean sir.” I looked at my brother in disbelief. Did he just call Seungri of BIGBANG dude?!?

Seungri laughed. “Dude? I like that. Thanks, dude.”

I had never seen my brother turn a brighter shade of red than in this moment.

Shawn clapped his hands together. “Alright, everyone spread out. Get your own space.”

We all found our own space on the floor, me and my brother being closest to each other.

Before music started, Vinny hurried over to me. He grabbed my arm and leaned in. “If it’s any BIGBANG song we know that they do live, do the choreography to it, but add your own flare.” He said quickly.

I looked at my brother. “What? They said freestyle!”

He groaned and looked around before leaning back in so only I could hear him. “Look around. Do you think any of these performers knew BIGBANG before they walked in? I doubt it! Just do it. No one knows the Almighty Five’s vibe better than we do.”

“Okay, let’s go!” Shawn announced before he hit play on the stereo system.

Put your hands in the air

How you feeling out there

I couldn’t help but grin over at my brother as Good Boy by G-Dragon and Taeyang started. Vinny gave me a small nod. This was one of the dance covers we had put on our YouTube page. We could perform the steps in our sleep.

I am a Good Boy

We sprung into the choreography steps right on cue. Around us, everyone else was struggling to figure out how to dance. The guys were trying way to hard with chest pumps and pop-and-locks, and the girls were trying to be too y by moving their hips.

That wasn’t BIGBANG’s vibe.

I kept my focus on how I looked in the mirror, but I couldn’t help look to the other dancers as Shawn, Paris, Mikey (the choreographers), and (gulp), Seungri and Taeyang walked around all of us.

Paris stopped in front of Vinny and I and watched. This was her chorography, after all. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned back against the mirrored wall.

Vinny and I kept at it. During the breakdown, where put your hands in the air was sung again, I took the choreography into my own hands since –at least in the performances- the focus would be on Taeyang and G-Dragon, not the dance.

Paris let out a cheer and clapped her hands together, nodding to me and Vincent in approval when we went back into the choreography.

That song ended, and I looked around. I was surprised to see there were only six of us dancers left, a big difference from the fifteen that started out.

“Good,” Sean nodded, walking back over to the sound system. “Let’s complicate things a bit. Try and adapt.”

Yeogi buteora modu moyeora

We gon party like lilililalala

I couldn’t help it; I let out a relieved chuckled and clapped my hands. “Let’s go!”

Vincent and I so had this.

Once again, we performed the choreography with ease. During the chorus was when we changed it up. Vincent started out with the Dougie, then did a few pop and lock moves before going into a backflip, which got some surprised looks from our judges.

Me, on the other hand, decided to show my “girlier” side and show what my hips were made of. I started with moving my chest in a roundabout motion (much like what 2NE1’S Minzy is famous for during her solos), then shake my hips to the beat. To end the solo, I put my back to the mirror, my legs slightly apart, bent over, popped my out, then ran my hands back up the inside of my legs before spinning back around and popping my hip out

Soon enough, that song ended. I looked around again. Four of us were left.

Shawn walked over so he was in front of us. “This is going to be tough, guys. You are all really impressive.” He looked at Taeyang and Seungri. “What do you guys think?”

My back stiffened when Taeyang and Seungri walked to the front of us as well, passing between Vincent and I. They were clapping.

“I am very impressed.” Taeyang agreed, nodding his head. I tried not to smile when I heard his accent. He looked at Seungri. “I think we need one more dance. What do you think?”

Seungri nodded. “Something a little slower. BIGBANG is not just about fast party dances. We like being…” He looked at Shawn and Paris. “Not y, but what’s the word?”

They were silent, and I couldn’t help it. “Sensual?”

Our judges looked at me. Seungri’s eyes brightened as he smiled and nodded. “Yes! Sensual!” He looked at Shawn. “May I choose the last song?”

Shawn smirked and nodded. “Be my guest.”

We all got back into position, and Seungri pressed play on the sound system.

Na oneul geudaeege halmari neomuna manhayo

Budi nae yaegil deureo jul su itnayo

Seungri would.

This was going to be more difficult since there was barely any choreography at the beginning of the song.

I could tell Vincent was thinking the same thing.

We both tried to adapt by truly freestyling with the beat.

Third Person POV

Seungri and Taeyang watched the final four dancers jump into action as soon as the maknae hit play. Gotta Talk to You had a smoother vibe and would be a little more difficult to perform for these powerful hip hop dancers.

Or so they thought.

Taeyang and Seungri were focused on two dancers in particular, amazed. The pair labeled with the number 21 were in perfect sync with the music, both moving to the beat with their own style. The make of the pair, despite his height, was able to recreate the dance steps from their Japan concert, but add his own flare to it. He had a certain assertiveness and confidence to his steps, like he knew the whole dance before the song even came on. He kept his eyes on the dancer as “hustlin’ hustlin’” came on, and looked at Taeyang. “What do you think?” He asked the older bandmate in Korean.

Taeyang nodded. “Twenty-one. He’s powerful. What do you think of the girl?”

Seungri turned his eyes to the other Twenty-One. Her moves had already been distracting him. He watched her as she moved to similar steps as the male twenty-one, but added her own femininity to it by moving her hips more and sliding her hands across her body. He couldn’t help but notice that she was gorgeous—beautiful, in fact. As she was dancing, it was like she had such a commanding appearance that everyone couldn’t help but watch. Her confidence wasn’t anything that appeared cocky; it just made the dance more mesmerizing.

Then, Seungri came up with an idea. “Let’s find out.”

He walked over to the girl, who didn’t even as much as glance at him. She kept performing the steps to the song, the part coming up being in the live performance where Seungri would dance with a girl.

He watched Twenty-One as she took the steps of the female lead, throwing her hands above her head, then running them down her body as she took another side step.

Seungri stood next to her in sync, and as she extended her leg closest to him, he ran his hand up her leg, like in the choreography. Twenty-One glanced at him, and, as if speaking with their eyes, she continued with the next steps, turning to face the BIGBANG member and crouching to the ground. She proceeding to slowly make her way back up with the music, running her hand up the maknae of BIGBANG’s leg. Once she was up, she locked eyes with Seungri before she tilted her head back, Seungri’s hand firmly on her back.

Taeyang leaned back against the mirror alongside Shawn and watched the pair. “Both twenty-ones are amazing.” He told the choreographer. “Look at her with Seungri. She didn’t even flinch when he joined in.”

Shawn smirked and nodded. “Not only that, but look at them. Since he started dancing with her their eyes have been glued to one another. Seungri has never had a partner where they shared so much chemistry.”

Natalia’s POV

What. Just. Happened?!?

Gotta Talk to You ended, and Seungri stepped back from me as all the choreographer, Taeyang, and himself clapped.

My heart was beating so loud, I was sure anyone near me could hear it.

Seungri, out of nowhere, came up and danced with me. Me. Not the other dancers in the room, but me.

There you go, gorgeous.

“That was really impressive.” Shawn admitted. “You all really put your heart into your dancing.” He looked at Seungri and Taeyang. “I really don’t know who to choose right now. Why don’t I let you two decide?”

As soon as Shawn said that, I felt my heart rate pick up even more. What if Seungri hadn’t liked our duet? What if they were disappointed in the fact we performed their choreography?

I stood next to my brother, who cleared his throat and bit his bottom lip nervously. He glanced at me before Taeyang spoke again.

“You all were great dancers. No matter what we decide, please, do not give up on your dream of dancing. Two of you really distracted us with your dancing to our songs. You know what is to be BIGBANG because you knew the steps to our songs. So,” He looked at Seungri, who nodded. Taeyang looked back at the remaining four dancers, his eyes landing on my brother and me. “Both twenty-ones, welcome to our dance crew.”