All of the things happening around me became a blur. I heard someone speaking but I can’t seem to hear it. The sound of my heart pounding became more dominant than that of the man speaking. Get on your senses, Sulli.

“Choi Jinri. Choi Jinri. Are you alright?” I suddenly heard my name being called by Mr. Lee.  I came back to my senses and quickly shook my head. The evaluators seem worried.

“Ah, ne. I’m Choi Jinri from class 3-2. I’m going to audition for the role of Penny Pingleton,” I quickly replied. My legs are shaking not because I’m afraid that I’ll pass out, but because I’m the first one to be called.

“Okay. Will you act for us, first?” Mr. Lee said while he’s writing something in a piece of paper.

I bit my lower lip. Anything goes, I thought as I took a deep breath. After a while, I started reciting one of Penny Pingleton’s lines in Hairspray. All I could hear in the theater is my voice alone. I made sure that I said the line with great emotion and right actions to move the evaluators.

I finished the line, turned left to face the evaluators and bowed down. They stared at me, smiling, and quickly turned down their faces to write something on their paper. Krystal whispered something to Mr. Lee and he responded with a nod and a grin.

“Now, Ms. Choi, will you dance for us?” Victoria asked me. I nodded and hurriedly grabbed my iPod from the left pocket of my uniform’s coat. I then gave it to one of the crews and pointed at the screen and told him to play that song.

When I’m ready, I cued the crew. I danced to Wonder Girls’ “Like This.” I felt uneasy when the intro started playing, but I just did it. While dancing, I was smiling to hide my nervousness. I continued dancing until the song ended and did my final pose. After that, I returned to my original position, standing on the center of the stage and waiting for their response. I was panting but I still showed my smile to them. The evaluators clapped and immediately wrote their evaluation on me.

“That was excellent! Now, the last part is you sing in front of us. But, drink water first, ” Luna said. She was satisfied by my performance.

I was still catching up with my breath when one of the crew went up the stage and gave me a bottle of water. I drank it and I felt sudden refreshment on my body. After drinking it, I gave the bottle to the crew and told him the song that he’ll play.

I turned back and fixed my hair and my uniform for a while. When I felt that I looked presentable again, I turned to the evaluators and smirked at them. I took a deep breath again and cued the crew to play the song.

The instrumental of BoA’s “Atlantis Princess” (link) started playing. The sound of the tick-tock started and when I heard the sound of the piano, I started singing.

“Cheo meon pa a kkeu ten mweo ga i seul gga
ta reun mu weon ga
se sang gwa neun meon yae gi

Kku reum wi ro ol ra ga myeon po il gga
cheon sa wa
na p'al pu neun ah i deul”

I continued singing it and when I finished the song, the evaluators clapped their hands. I turned my head slowly from left to right and saw that the evaluators were impressed. Good job, you deserve some ice cream later, Sulli, I thought.

~~~

Sulli went down the stage and returned to her seat.

“You were good back there, noona! Congratulations,” Taemin complimented Sulli.

“Gomawo. You should do your best, too, dongsaeng!” Sulli exclaimed. They both laughed and they patiently waited for Taemin to be called.

It’s been two hours and Taemin still wasn’t called. Sulli already fell asleep in her seat, while Taemin is still tensed.

The people in the theater got fewer since most of them are already finished with their auditions.

“And next on the list is… Lee Taemin,” the student announced in the microphone. Sulli suddenly woke up when she heard Taemin’s name. Taemin burst out in laughter because Sulli nearly fell off her seat when she heard his name.

“Ah…” Sulli shrugged and wiped , checking if she drooled while sleeping. “Go Taemin! Fighting!” she continued while making the fighting gesture.

Taemin smiled, nodded and proceeded to the stage. When he was already on the stage, Krystal, who is leaning back on her seat, got off her seat and seated properly. Krystal was suddenly attracted to Taemin because of his charming smile.

“Hi Lee Taemin!” Mr. Lee greeted him.

“Hello. I’m Lee Taemin from class 2-2 and I’m here to audition for the role of Link Larkin,” Taemin uttered.

“So, you’re auditioning for Link Larkin. Can you act for us, first?” Mr. Lee asked.

Taemin nodded and immediately started recited one of Link Larkin’s lines. Everyone was amazed the moment he recited the line since he conveyed Link Larkin rightfully.

After he acted out, he danced Big Bang’s “Fantastic Baby.” Again, everyone’s jaw dropped. He can not only act very well, but dance exceptionally, too, the crowd thought. Krystal was amazed by his performance and got more attracted to him.

Everyone in the theater applauded him after he danced.

“The last part is singing. What will you sing for Krystal?” Luna asked Taemin teasingly while she’s looking at Krystal. Mr. Lee and Victoria looked at Krystal and giggled, while Krystal looked down, blushing.

Taemin awkwardly laughed. He doesn’t know what is happening. “I’m going to sing one of my compositions,” he said in reply.

“An original song of yours? Wow. Is it, somehow, for Krystal?” Victoria jokingly asked Taemin.

“Maybe,” Taemin smiled and raised his eyebrows while riding with their joke. They all chuckled, except for Krystal, who is obviously embarrassed. Krystal turned her head to Mr. Lee and pleaded him to stop it already and proceed.

“Okay, okay. Let’s stop this. Sing now, Mr. Lee,” he ordered as he and the others are still recovering from their laughs.

"What I'm going to sing is entitled 'U'," he said. He cued the crew to play the song.

The song started playing. (link) Five seconds after the intro, Taemin held the microphone and started singing.

“Neoreul johahandaneun geu mareul
Chama hal su eobseosseo
Geunyang idaero ni yeope isseodo joha”

The instrumental suddenly had more power.

“Geudae hanbeonman deo yonggireul naebolkka
Nae mameul jeonhaebolkka
Ireon nae mamdo moreugoseo manyang
Hwanhage utneun neo”

Krystal slowly looked at the stage as he sang the chorus.

“Naega neol wonhago itdan mallya
Naega neol bureugo itdan mallya
Nae soneul jaba nae soneul jaba
Irheobeorilkka duryeopjanha

Naega neol wonhago itdan mallya
Naega neol saranghandaneun mallya
Neol hyanghan nae mam deutgo inni
Baraman bwado apeujanha
Ireoke”

He continued singing. Everyone in the theater was astounded. The lyrics are decent, the melody is amazing, he had emotions while singing and his voice is outstanding among those who auditioned.

“I still need you
I still need you
Eotteongeotdo neol daesinhal su eobseo
Cause I love you gidaryeojwo
Nae mam jeonhaejulkke”

Krystal had her eyes stick to Taemin’s face. His smile is charming and his voice is angelic, she thought. He finally sang the last chorus of his song and when he finished singing, everyone applauded loudly.

“I think we found our Link Larkin,” Mr. Lee whispered to Krystal who was on his left. Krystal agreed and smiled at him.

Taemin smirked and bowed at them. He ran out of the stage and went directly to her noona. Krystal turned her head, following where Taemin is heading. Krystal was stunned and her mood suddenly went down on what she saw.

Taemin hugged Sulli tightly because of his happiness. Sulli hugged him back and they both smiled.

“Good job, dongsaeng!” Sulli whispered to Taemin. Taemin replied with a “thank you.”

She doesn’t know what to do. She likes Taemin. She’s jealous of Sulli.