It was the Saturday right after the Japanese tour promotions.

She could hear the people around her, in their native language talking, gossiping about her. It is not every day you see a foreigner who undoubtedly looks someone so big, healthy and bubbly and agreeably beautiful to be in the hospital. But Sunny knew that the nurses and staffs could recognize her. After all, she is a regular patient whenever the group enters hiatus.

She was sick as a child. Her parents never allowed her to play with boys of her age because of the risk of getting hurt in the process. She was forced to keep distance from her cousins of the opposite gender, as she is considered fragile. Her parents made her study in Baehwa, an all-girls institution, hoping that she could be the prim and proper lady that she has to be someday.

But these didn’t stop her from being her active self. She loves to run, despite how breathless she gets right after. She loves taking chances. She loves to laugh without having the difficulty of breathing after. Her condition took away the freedom she envisioned for herself as a child. She just knew that she had to push her limits someday, somehow.

When she gets in her uncle’s company for the first time, there was a kid who asked if she was a new trainee. At that time she didn’t know what a trainee was and what are they training for. Then the kid took her to a room where she saw lots of kid at her age dancing to the beat of the music reverberating through the walls.

She gaped in awe at the instructors and at the students. They were so lively and full of power, and suddenly, her life has a meaning. Suddenly, she had the urge to push her limits. She knew that she might not make it, but she is young, and just like every young kids, she had the power and the vigour of a fighter.

She was a favourite of her uncle. She knew that. And she knew she just had to tell them. In front of her family, she knew she had to tell it. In front of her parents, her uncles and aunts, her sisters, her cousins, and her grandparents, she knew that she had to take the first step.

“I want to be a dancer.” She started, making all heads turn to her. They were silent. She glanced at her uncle who she knew might help her, but he had a frown on his face. “I want to be a singer. No, I want to be a singer who dances, just like the people from uncle’s company. I want to be a singer-dancer.”

“Soonkyu, what are you talking about?” Her mother was the one who broke the hopeful silence in the little girl. Her heart sank, making her stomach twist and turn of sour and bitterness.

“I don’t want to go to the university. I want to be seen on TV.” She said, answering her mother with a firmer tone. Then they all laughed. “Uncle Sooman can help me.” And that is when the elders gave a sign of disgust and disapproval.

“Baby, you can’t be an entertainer. You are not born for it.” Her father said.

As a kid she was deprived of life, and as a kid she had an idea of what she wanted. She stood up and stormed out of the hall. She locked herself in her room. She opened her TV and switched the channel to her favourite channel. And she cried. And that is when she vowed to prove them her will once and for all.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened. The hospital was huge, and usually old people are patients, except of course if your case has been with you since birth. The chance of meeting someone particular to her is zero to none. And the person she saw as soon as the elevator doors opened is not even particular to her.

She bowed her head almost unnoticeable to him, as a mutual sign of respect. And he bowed as well. Her shoulders bumped with his arms as they passed by each other. He looked back as the elevator doors closed, and they met each other’s eyes through her thick glasses. Despite the glare, he knew that she quickly averted her gaze, confirming that she is who he thinks she is.

A vague memory flashed in his mind. And suddenly it became vivid.

He was a new kid. A new trainee. He knew that he shouldn’t be a trainee for he is not fit for it. Everyone is a competition. And everyone is far much better than him. Not to tell the fact that he is Chinese and the line of discrimination is so much clearer than his future.

He ran to the upmost stairs as he recalled the words they told him. They told him that he should quit, and that he can’t even sing or dance, telling him that he is useless. By the time he reaches the topmost step, and opened the doors to the top, he knew that his tears would finally fall down.

But before he could reach the knob, it flew open, revealing one of the elite trainees that most new kids look up to. She was comparatively small, and he knew that she has not bullied anyone at all. They stared a while at each other before he realized that there were tears in her eyes.

“Can I help you?” He asked in his poor Korean. He brought out a kerchief from his pockets and was about to offer her when she swat it away.

“Move.” She said, so subduing and so cold, that he didn’t do anything but move. She glared at him before she took the flight down the stairs.

And then, he realized that he isn’t the only one struggling in the company. He learned that the people who struggle the most reaches the success everyone wants to have. Soon, he learned that the girl debuted, and he had the motivation to keep going.

Then the elevator doors closed completely.