CH 4: June 11, 2012

“Say a prayer to yourself…” I sang, screwing my eyes shut. This was only one of the five songs SM had asked me to prepare. Not to mention dances. 

“Stop worrying, ttal,” Appa soothed. “You'll be fine.”

“How do you know that, Appa? Are you Lee Soo Man? SM has amazing artists, if they think I won't be able to add to that, they won't take me, if they don't take me then we'll have wasted money on four tickets to Korea, then Eom-”

“Lani!” My dad laughed. “Breathe. It's okay. And those tickets weren't wasted anyhow. I missed my eomma, and I know you and Lauren missed your cousins.”

I huffed and hugged myself. The seatbelt of the car rubbed against my shoulder slightly as I did so. 

This was it. This would be either the first or last day in my journey to SM. I was on the way to the final audition, the one my mother had promised for me. My entire family (minus Langston, but he was coming later) had came to Korea, as if they were here to see me off, but only Appa was coming with me to the audition. 

I hummed to myself as I watched people and buildings whizz by. 

“Lani, we’ve still got a while to go. Why don’t you take a nap? You woke up too early today,” Appa suggested. I hummed in agreement. I had woken up super early today, five in the morning, out of excitement. As we pulled to a stop in the front of a red light, Appa pushed my head against the seat, commanding me to sleep. I obeyed.

***

“Lani, ttal, get up,” I felt something nudge my side. I gave a small grunt as I moved my head to the other side. It poked me again.

“Get up, Lani,” it cooed. I let out one of my world renowned ‘noises’. The thing chuckled but shook me once more.

“Lani! Get up! You’ll miss your audition!” I woke with a start. 

“Huh, what?” I groaned disorientedly, rubbing my eyes groggily. Blinking repeatedly, I looked at the building in front of me. It was massive, as was expected, made of brick, with posters of artists covering the sides. The front had a glass door entrance, and above that was written “SM Entertainment.”

I scrambled out of the passenger seat, my dad giggling like a child when I tripped. I didn’t stop to frown and tell him not to laugh at me like I usually would; no, I was too excited.

I don’t think excited is the right word. I felt sort of awed, sort of apprehensive, a bit intimidated, kind of happy, very eager, and piqued, all at the same time. Since saying all those words takes quite a while, let’s stick with ‘excited’.

I all but skipped to the front as Appa called for me to “wait up”. I didn’t. 

“Hurry!” I called back at him. I opened the door without him, and stepped inside. 

It felt… nice, I think is the word. It was not very colorful, mainly white and modern, which I had kind of expected. SNSD’s “The Boys” was playing, not loudly, but not so soft as so you couldn’t hear it. It smelled professional, if that makes sense. Nice and cotton-y, though I didn’t think there was much cotton in this general proximity. 

“Can I help you?” A voice startled me as I was staring at a poster of Super Junior. 

“Huh?” I twirled around. “Oh! Annyeonghaseyo.” I bowed at the woman in front of me. 

“I’m here for an audition?” I said it like a question. 

“Oh, yes! Annyeonghaseyo,” she returned my greeting. “I was expecting you. You’re early! Seok Lani, yes? I’m Kim Sujeong.”

“Well, I say it American style, but yes.” She nodded in understanding. 

“Yes, that’s where you are from, correct?” I nodded, smiling. 

“Well, is anybody here with you?” Ms. Kim asked me. “I need someone to sign you in, since you’re only 17.”

“Oh, yes, my dad is here. I kind of left him behind.” As if on cue, he walked in