A/N : Happy birthday, turnip! Thanks for being one of the first people to love my story. All Exotics, please enjoy!

It's too late to change my mind now. 

Jong Dae looked at his phone screen again and reread the text that he had received from SM Entertainment a week after his audition. It was a relatively simple text.

It's too late to change my mind. Too late.

Honestly, Jong Dae didn't know where he found the courage to go to the audition in the first place. He recalled back to when the nicely dressed man gave him a card, saying that he was with SM Entertainment and that Jong Dae should come for their open casting held the week after the singing competition. 

Fast forward to two weeks after the singing competition, Jong Dae had just received news that he was accepted as a trainee for SMENT. It was a dream came true; a chance that everyone who dreamt of becoming a singer would ever want. Even Ji Hyo noona was excited at this amazing opportunity that came for him but why was Jong Dae having doubts?

Sure, being a trainee for SMENT ensures he would be an idol one day but what bugs him the most was how long? How long would he have to train and wait around with a bunch of other talented trainees? How long before the higher ups of SM decided that he was good enough to debut? Would he become a solo artist or be part of a big group like SHINee or even Super Junior? Would he be able to decide what direction he wanted to pursue with his music or did he just have to consent to whatever SM higher ups had decided for him? What if he didn't like the concept but it was far too late to change? What then?

Although he was confused and scared, he knew he made the right decision. It started when Ji Hyo noona made him join a singing competion. He won it. Now fate had sent him an opportunity in a form of him becoming an idol.

Jong Dae really should stop worrying and just be happy that he was chosen among so many people. At the audition, he was head to head with so many talented individuals that he felt like there were so many times he could have lost out to the others at the auditions. There was even this one particular person that stood out from the rest and their meeting kept replaying in his head.

His name was Baek Hyun. Byun Baek Hyun. They were split into groups and were to compete among the people in the group and only one can be chosen to take on the other group's chosen one. Baek Hyun spiked an interest—and a feeling of threat—in Jong Dae when Baek Hyun sang. His voice was smooth and beautiful, leaving Jong Dae at a loss of whether to be envious or amazed.

Baek Hyun himself seemed to be paying attention to Jong Dae because Jong Dae wasn't the only one that notice that unlike the rest in their group, the two of them were the only one really worth paying attention too. Some of the guys were only good looking without much talent when it came to singing. Some were too proud causing their talent to pale in comparison. When the decision of who was to be selected in their group was being made, both Jong Dae and Baek Hyun tensed. The pair both had equal shots. And it was a big surprise when the two of them were chosen to move on.

It could have been out of sheer luck, perhaps even fate, but somehow, the representatives realised that they were just too good to let one go.

He smiled at the memory. He hoped that Baek Hyun gotten chosen too. Both of them lasted until the final round with ten other talented individuals. They were asked to perform alone and everyone did pretty well. As predicted, Baek Hyun proved to be fierce competition but Jong Dae wasn't to be outdone. Jong Dae realised that if he was chosen among thousands of talented people, he probably did have a good voice. He simply could not waste an opportunity like this. 

Besides, what was the worst that could happen? I would just be singing. I am born to sing.

~~~

It was the first day of being a trainee at SM and already Jong Dae felt like quitting.

He walked into the building feeling lighthearted and happy, ready to start his vocal lessons, only to be told by the nice front desk noona that he was to report himself to practice room 8A. Jong Dae wandered around and got lost, staring at the hundreds and hundreds of doors and corridors. He was just about to give up ever escaping the building and seeing sunlight again when he saw a familiar figure passing him. He stopped and it finally came to him who that good-looking male was.

"BAEK HYUN!" Jong Dae shouted, realizing shortly after that he shouted rather loudly and felt embarrassed.

Poor Baek Hyun looked frighten when turning his head before spotting the dorky-looking Jong Dae smiling at him. Baek Hyun's startled expression was quickly replaced with a grin as he retraced his steps towards Jong Dae. "You're that high-notes guy...umm...Jong Di."

Jong Dae laughed. Baek Hyun looked at him, baffled. "My name is Jong Dae." he said while bowing to Baek Hyun.

Baek Hyun bowed back and apologised for forgetting his name. "Hyung, you got selected too?" Baek Hyun said with genuine excitement in his voice. Turns out, Baek Hyun hoped Jong Dae would be selected too.

"Hyung? I was told I was one of the youngest in the auditions. I'm born in the year 1992." Jong Dae exclaimed.

"Oh, I'm born in 1992 too but in May." Baek Hyun added sheepishly, ashamed once again for mistaking Jong Dae's age.

"Ha! Then you are the hyung. I'm born in September." Jong Dae said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "Baek Hyun hyung~" Jong Dae added cutely.

Baek Hyun cringed. "Yah, stop it. We are chingus. Why don't we drop the formalities?"

"Whatever you say, hyung~" Jong Dae added quickly before running down the hallways.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter