Chapter 1: The Shattered Dreams

Today was a hell in winter. 

I sat at the park bench near Woollim Entertainment building after I got rejected in the Woollim Entertainment audition. It was so frustrating. I came all the way from the Philippines just to get rejected like this? Despicable. I will never EVER audition again. 

I felt all my frustrations flow in as I sat on the cold park bench in the cold afternoon. It was winter, and I can tell that the snow surrounding me were beginning to melt down because of my hot temper for Woollim. I felt a little tinge in my eyes as a long cold line formed from my left eye to my chin. No, it wasn't an ordinary long cold line. It was a teardrop. I had my heart broken once. But this heartbreak was so lame, the cause of it was an audition. Could it be any lamer?

The hurtful words of the audition masters were painful enough to bring me into a comma. "You're just not good enough", "There are others who are as talented as you are, but they're pretty", "Better luck next time." Seriously? They say that to every rejects? I can honestly commit suicide right now, if it weren't for my dream and my family. 

I know I did well. My voice was totally warmed up, my dance moves were sharp, but I was pretty sure my Korean sounded stupid. Alright, that is definitely considerable. The fact that I only studied Korean for three months and I can already hold a conversation was impressive. But judging by the confused looks of the jury while I was introducing myself, I knew I would flunk. 

I sobbed and sobbed, my hands covering my whole face, until I could feel the cold more and more, like my body was every snow. I felt miserable. Every bad luck that happened to me in my whole life time flashed back, and it felt like a hammer was pounding my heart to pieces. So loud that I didn't notice someone approaching. 

"Are you okay?" a familiar voice asked. I didn't dare look up, as I knew I was looking rather horrible for crying so hard. I took a peek from the spaces of my fingers to find out it was a boy. A thin, tall boy with female features: thin waist, flickering eye lashes and cute lips. He was wearing a navy blue coat with a fancy scarf and an unruly hair. I guessed it was his fashion statement, not the early morning kind of hair. And when I came to my senses, I realized it wasn't just a random boy in the park. It was SungJong, a member of  a Korean boy band, Infinite, which I was obsessing over. 

SungJong of Infinite? Was I hallucinating? Was I on drugs? It couldn't be. I mean, you don't just cry on a park bench and get noticed by a KPOP star. How lucky could I get? I gasped so loud that I almost fell from the bench. 

"Y-You're.. You're...." I wasn't able to spit it out. I wasn't able to move. My cheeks dried up as I felt a huge amount of excitement as SungJong looked deep into my eyes with a worried look and insanely cute pouting lips. 

He smiled, looked around to see if other people at the park were out of earshot, and said, "SungJong. You?"

"I'm Lily, a rejected Woollim Trainee," I said, not knowing that it could trigger another batch of sobs and tears. I can't believe I was so stupid, crying like that in front of him. I felt him move. And the next thing I knew, he was sitting beside me on the bench. I looked up at him. 

"That's alright. I also got rejected by Woollim twice. Got in my third try, so don't give up," he said, looking like he was reminiscing the old times. He then handed me a handkerchief but I hesitated. But he shoved it to my hands and said, "Never give up. The opportunities are infinite," and smiled, and left.

I was dumbfounded, I wasn't able to say anything. But before he could make a turn at the end of the block, I shouted, "Oppa!" He turned as I ran to catch him. I stood in front him, and bowed. 90 degrees! "Thank you!" was all I could say.

It was a brief meeting, though I know, deep inside, it changed my point of view in Woollim, let alone trying again for an audition. Maybe it wasn't the right time yet. Maybe it was the right time for somebody else. And maybe, just maybe, SungJong was right about the infinite opportunities.