Key P.O.V.

 

Beep beep beep...BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

 

“Yah Key! Turn off the alarm!!” 

 

Aish! God why does Minho have to yell so loud at this time? It’s 4 am for goodness sake! I roll over to the night table in between our beds to swat the snooze button, only Minho got it before me. I yelled at him because it’s my alarm clock and he slaps the snooze button so hard, one of these days, he’s going to break it. 

 

I sat up in bed trying to adjust my eyes to the light streaming into the room. Oh god. Assessments today. 

 

Minho and I finally got out of our beds when it became a human hour and got dressed into some comfortable clothes. We would be at the assessment center for a little bit longer today than other days because there would be a speech or something before. I’m not scared, but hell, I’m nervous because I have no freaking idea how I’ll be assessed. 

 

We all met in the common room and there were five manila folders on the coffee table with our names on them. 

 

I didn’t want to open mine first. I whispered to Minho, who was standing next to me half asleep. “Open yours first, pabo.” Minho blinked a few times and looked at me and then to Taemin, who looked extremely nervous, and then to Jonghyun and Onew who were smiling at him reassuringly. Minho picked up his manila folder and pinched the brad to open the folder. He then pulled out a nice white packet of papers. There was a cover with the now familiar ISAgifted logo on it and underneath had big bold words saying, FRESHMAN, CHOI MINHO. He flipped to the next page which had a map and directions on how to get from the flat to the assessment center and then further instructions on how to find the meeting hall and then our group’s assessment convention room. Minho ignored it and clicked his tongue which seemed to make Taemin even more nervous than he already was. Could Minho go any slower?! 

 

Minho then flipped to the next page which revealed his list of assessments he would be taking and what days he would be taking them on. His assessments scheduled were diverse and I was surprised what they picked Minho to test in. Didn’t know he had so many interests. 

 

 

 

Assessment Schedule 

Choi Minho

 

 

 

Day 1, August 21: Tonal Accuracy and Vocal performance

Supervisor/Interviewer: Lee Chae Rin

 

Day 2, August 22: Dark Room Photography 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Choi Siwon 

 

 

Day 3, August 23: Digital Photography and Graphics

Supervisor/Interviewer: Max Changmin 

 

 

Day 4, August 24: Contemporary Dance and Performance 

Supervisor/Interviewer: BoA 

 

 

Day 5, August 25: Vocal Percussion and Rapping 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Lee Hyukjae 

 

 

Day 6, August 26: Weight Lifting and Fitness 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Rain B

 

Day 7, August 27: Football 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Jung Yunho 

 

After reading it over, Jonghyun decided to interject. “Chae Rin is very strict, Siwon is a flirt, Changmin is cool, BoA, well, she’s a bit of a flirt too, Hyukjae is awesome, Rain is kinda scary, and Yunho is pretty mysterious. You got some interesting supervisors.” I could totally tell Jonghyun didn’t want Siwon or BoA to flirt with Minho. Them two would make a cute and really weird couple, I guess. Minho could calm Jonghyun down a bit and Jonghyun could add some....hyperactiveness to Minho’s life. 

 

Everyone opened their packets before me. I don’t know why I didn’t have the courage to go before. I finally opened it and flipped through until I got to my assessment page. 

 

 

 

Assessment Schedule 

Kim KiBum 

 

 

Day 1, August 21: Tonal Accuracy and Vocal performance

Supervisor/Interviewer: Do Kyungsoo

 

Day 2, August 22: Contemporary Dance and Performance

Supervisor/Interviewer: Lee Donghae 

 

 

Day 3, August 23: Cooking  

Supervisor/Interviewer: Jessica Jung  

 

 

Day 4, August 24: Fashion and Design 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Victoria Song 

 

 

Day 5, August 25: Vocal Percussion and Rapping 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Park Kyung  

 

 

Day 6, August 26: Studio Art Drawing - Pen and Ink/Pencil/Charcoal 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Lee Hi 

 

Day 7, August 27: Studio Art Painting and Pottery 

Supervisor/Interviewer: Kim Hyun Joong 

 

I turned to Onew, looking at him in panic. I wanted to know about the supervisors, the every thing...basically. Onew seemed to read my mind. 

 

Onew P.O.V.

 

Oh gods. Poor Key. He’s so cute when he’s worried. His eyes crinkle, his forehead slightly creases, oh god does he know I’m staring at his face? I need to help him. After mentally calming myself down and ignoring Jonghyun and Taemin’s smirk,I tell Key that Kyungsoo is really caring and very talented so he’s in good hands, that Donghae hyung while quite the joker, is really very serious about dancing and performance, that Jessica noona is a real flirt but is nice, that Victoria noona, while she may seem fierce, she is very warm hearted, that Kyung likes to make people feel uncomfortable on purpose, that even though Hi might be young and cute looking, she is very calm, collected, and talented, and that Hyun Joong hyung is also a flirt and tries to charm everyone and succeeds a lot of the time, well, so I’ve heard. Key looked less worried after I told him and so I patted his back to comfort him, but that just made things worse for me because he’s delicate, but seems strong at the same time. Must be his dancing that does that. Oh gods. 

 

Jonghyun P.O.V. 

 

Key got some cool supervisors, I suppose. He needs to watch out for KHJ hyung and Jessica noona especially. After smirking at Onew for being all awkward with Key, I suddenly noticed how utterly attractive Minho looked in black. WHAT THE HELL MINHO?! WHO TOLD YOU TO LOOK LIKE THAT?! 

 

Minho P.O.V. 

 

Damn Jonghyun and is stupid attractive smirk. He needs to stop wearing sleeveless shirts...he’s so cute and funny and hyper, but then he picks on me and we end up fighting. Jonghyun what do you do to me?! Damn it!!! 

 

Taemin P.O.V.

 

Not gonna lie I totally ship Onkey and Jongho. 

 

....I need to text Sulli now. Taelli? OTP right there keke. 

 

No One’s P.O.V. 

 

They all had their schedules and they headed to the center for assessments. There was a long speech for all the students to listen to about integrity, individuality, knowledge. Although Key wanted to listen, he was too preoccupied with the fact that he was about to be tested. The five boys, after leaving their respective grade areas in the auditorium met up in the hallway and walked in silence to their designated room. The doors had a big sign with their now official team name, SHINee. Jonghyun beamed at the name and pointed to it to try to make someone laugh, but the three freshmen were in no mood for laughing. 

 

They walked into the enormous room that had five sections that were being divided by walls and doors. Each section had one of their names on it. Key sighed and Jonghyun patted him on the back as he made his way to his room. Inside the room was a floor lamp, a couch, a computer on a metal desk, a couple of chairs, a white board, some paper, pens, tissues, and a mini fridge with drinks in it. Key sighed again. He sat on the couch and awaited his first supervisor, Do Kyungsoo, to come in. Today was his vocal accuracy and performance test. Key was sure, from the lack of a piano, music, or a microphone, that he would not be staying in the room for his assessment. This made him feel uneasy, yet again.  

 

There was about ten minutes of waiting before a handsome man with large eyes and perfectly styled hair walked in with a large binder and a tuning fork. 

 

“Hi! My name is Do Kyungsoo and I’m here to assess you. Don’t worry, I’ve heard you’re quite good and it’ll be a very relaxed assessment. Shall we go to the stage?” 

 

Key followed Kyungsoo quietly only talking when he was talked to. They left the assessment center and ventured out to a nearby nightclub. Inside there was a stage, a microphone, a piano, every thing they needed. 

 

Key was ordered to go up onstage and perform a song. No instruments, no BGM, no nothing. Just him and the microphone. 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

“Minho goon, I watched footage of you performing for your high school. While you were sounding good, you looked very stiff at first. You ended very strong and interacted with your audience very well, but in order to be the best, you need to entrance the audience before you even come out on stage. You need to hook your audience by the mere thought of you about to perform. Arasso?” 

 

Minho was in a warehouse. An empty, dimly lit warehouse. It was chosen as a good sight to do this assessment because it had good acoustics and had a lot of room for Minho to move around in.

 

Minho took a deep breath and tried to find something about Lee Chae Rin that wasn’t intimidating. It was pretty much the way she was talking to him that was the only thing that didn’t make him run out of there crying. She was like a metal statue, cold and fierce and strict. 

 

“Just smile. Smile once. You’ll scare me less,” Minho thought as he mentally willed Chae Rin to smile and look less intimidating. Chae Rin just crossed her arms and waited for Minho to answer, but nothing would come. “Imagine a friendly face....think....think....” 

 

Minho then smiled and nodded trying to imagine the friendly face instead of Chae Rin. “Neh. I’m ready. What do you want me to do?” 

 

“First we’re going to see your range, then I want you to perform a song for me.” 

Minho smiled. 

 

“Neh, Jongh....umm....Chae Rin noona!” 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Back again for another year, Kim? I thought I was done with you!” 

“Kekeke hey Krystal.” 

“Jjong, why they are testing you for vocals again is beyond me, but sing happy birthday and we can get coffee or something.” 

“Sounds fun.” 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

“You’re Mr. Lee Taemin?” 

 

Taemin was in his little section of the convention room when the lights turned off and a booming voice came through the door. He couldn’t see anything and was scared less. 

 

“N...neh. Please don’t eat me!”  

“I am a bit hungry...” 

“I have money! You can take that!” 

“You’re scared? You’re just gonna show me your piano skills.” 

“I’m not scared! I am...” 

 

The lights then tuned back on to reveal a tall dapper man with ice blue hair. “The name is T.O.P. I’m here for your piano assessment, kid.” 

 “Oh...I knew that.” 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

“LEE JINKI!!!!” 

 

“God jesus kill me. I hate athletics. Third time in a row with this guy?!” Onew thought to himself. 

 

Onew was standing in the middle of one of the many gyms the ISA campus had. Other students were being assessed as well, but were all laughing at Onew during their assessments because the whole school knew if one is to be in the gym with Lee Jinki when he is being assessed for athletics, they are in for a treat. It was ridiculously funny to watch Onew struggle and fall while the toughest athletics instructor, Lee Joon screamed at Onew. 

 

“Drop and give me 250!” 

“C’mon! Really?! This is now the third time. We know how this will end, I’m going to be with the freshmen in Athletics and Physical Performance 1.” 

“You just earned yourself and extra 100!” 

 

“ISA, you just do this as entertainment for others,”  Onew thought angrily as he got into plank position. 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

After the first assessment day was over, they all had free time for the rest of the day. Minho immediately crashed on the couch, much to Key’s dismay because he wanted to go shopping. Minho didn’t even notice where his head landed when he hit the couch. Jonghyun was dozing when he felt the couch move under new weight and a head fall on his thigh. He wanted it to be Taemin or Onew or Key so as to avoid an awkward situation with Minho. But of course, Jonghyun soon found out once he woke up a bit that the head belonged to none other than Choi Minho. Jonghyuns heart sped up. “Damn you, Choi.” 

 

Onew on the other hand was in his own room now sleeping while Key had captured the poor Taemin and taken him shopping with him. 

 

Assessment 1. Over. 

 

Key couldn’t help but feel nervous though. Tomorrow was dance. It would be even more tiring.