We followed Mr Lee into his office to fill out the forms and . he signalled us to sit down and offered us a drink. JUST GET THE AGREEMENT OUT!!!

Lee Soo Man: So what are you're names?

We told him our names but when he wrote mine down, he froze.

Lee Soo Man: Have you by any chance audition already?

____: Yes sir. On the iPhone app. Why?

He thought for a minute and then asked Aarthi if we could talk for a bit in private. She nodded in agreement, squeezed my hand and walked out. I turned to face Mr Lee.

Lee Soo Man: We have information that you previously auditioned on our EverySing app. Not only that, but you lied twice in two of your auditions. May I know the reason for this action?

Crap! This was almost ten years ago! How the hell ami supposed to remember?!

____: w-well, I lived in England at that time and I was really young. I really wanted to audition but the only auditions I could apply for we're the emailed ones. So I thought that if I pretend to live in South Korea but I moved recently to England, you may consider allowing me. I got accepted the first time but Aarthi told me it was a bad idea so I sent an apology email. I then auditioned over email but it seems to me that the emails aren't ever read. So I decided to grab your attention again and send the same thing with the same details. Aarthi got furious at me and told me to send a normal emailed audition with a proper message, which acted like my cv. Please Mr Lee, I am really sorry. I was young and stupidand I had really big dre-

He signalled me to stop with his hand and got up from his chair. He poured himself a glass of water, drank it in one go and walked towards me. He leant forward and said

Lee Soo Man: you were a determined child. I like your way of thinking. Next time, dont lie but your brain worked miraculously. Bring Aarthi in!

aarthi walked in a looked at me, worried. I gave her a reassuring smile and her tense face loosened. Mr Lee went. Three all the documents and the requirements and soon after that, we were ready to become trainees. Before I walked out, I asked Mr Lee if we could just finish our week of tourism and then consider the offer. 

then I realised something: how did he know that I was singing? His office was well away from the studio I was at and the room is soundproof. I asked him and he simply replied "a little bird told me". I wasnt convinced by this answer but I accepted it for now. That is until I turned to see ... Taemin. Standing with a smile on his face. Where has the jerky smirk gone? Did he have something to do with this?