[Fall 2002. California, USA]

~ Kibum’s POV ~

Have you ever come home receiving good news from your family? Isn’t it great to hear good news after a day of work? It makes you forget just for once all the tiredness that you feel.

Sometimes I come home expecting to taste my mom’s homemade dishes that are always my favorite. There are always things that make me look forward in going home, but today something is going to be different.

“Mom, I’m home,” I called to my mother once I step inside our house. As I expected, she is in kitchen cooking for our dinner tonight. I took off my shoes and coat and put it in a side cabinet.

I went upstairs to my room where I put my school bag and also to refresh myself a bit before eating downstairs. After that I lay down on my bed for a few minutes. It feels good to stretch my body and I felt sleepy already. If only I wasn’t hungry I could have slept right away.

"Kibum-ah dinner's ready come down if you have finished washing," my mom called after thirty minutes.

"So how is school today?" came the usual question from my mom everyday when I come home. I got used to it already that it became a daily habit to tell her bits of what happened everyday.

"Fine. My friend says that he is leaving for Korea next week. I envy him a little, I haven't seen Korea in ages. I want to come home too," I complained to my mother.

"You know that your father's work is here. You and your siblings werr studying here. We had lived here for years already --" my mom tried to explained again the reason why we are here in which I have heard many times.

"I know, I know... but mom, can't we visit our relatives there? We are still Koreans after all," I said her.

"Pleaseeeee," I pleaded to my mom. I am really hoping that we can spend Christmas in Korea this time to make things different.

"Okay, I will ask your father if he can take a leave this December. If he can't then we have nothing to do with it okay?" she finally decided after all the pleading I did.

"Okay mom," I said. At least this one sounds fair. In minutes I finally finished eating my dinner and decided to sit down in the living room for a while.

It is getting chilly now inside the house as winter is fast approaching. The leaves of the trees outside had already fallen a few weeks ago since fall had started.

I leaned my back on the sofa and enjoyed the warmth of the pillows. I was enjoying my rest when my attention was caught by the letters on the little table beside the sofa.

I got up and took the letters hoping that there is something for me. I was not disappointed when I discovered a letter addressed to me. I took it and decided to open it upstairs in my room.

When I reached my room I did only noticed that the letter came from SM Ent. This must have something to do with the audition that I did months ago.

Excited to see the results, I tore the side of the letter and carefully read it.

"Congratulations you have passed the international auditions held in California. We are inviting you to come to Korea to receive training in different areas of entertainment in preparation for your future career," I read the letter aloud. It took me seconds before the news had sink in my mind.

It says congratulations so it means I passed. I did not really believe it until I have read the whole letter.

"Mom! I passed the auditions!! I passed the auditions!!"  I suddenly shouted in the house surprising my mother downstairs.

I ran through the stairs and went to my mom to hug her. I embraced her tight and I shouted in happiness while holding the letter.

"Mom, remember the auditions that I joined few months ago? I received the results today! I passed it!" I excitedly delivered the news to her.

"Really? Oh I'm so happy for you son! I knew you can do it," she said to me genuinely smiling for my success.

"Mom, they are telling me to come to Korea for further training. If got the chance, I might become an artist in Korea," I said to her.

"Whatever that makes you happy will make me happy too. I'm so proud of you for sharing your talents, it is a gift from God," she said while caressing my cheeks.

"Does that mean you're allowing me to be a trainee?" I asked hopefully.

I was so happy when I saw my mother nod in agreement. "As long as you finish your studies, it is okay for me," she said.

With that I hugged her again, tighter than before. This must be the happiest day for me is year and I will forget this day.

"Mom, I love you," I whispered to her.

*               *                  *

[Seoul, South Korea.]

~ Heechul’s POV ~

Our vocal teacher had dismissed us early because she was summoned by the staff to a meeting with the higher officials.

Of course we are happy to be able to go home and rest early. My friends bid goodbye earlier because they still had things to do.

I am going home too but I decided to pass by the cafeteria to buy a bottle of water. I feel thirsty after an hour of nonstop singing.

I was about to go when I saw Jungsoo sitting at one corner and he seemed in deep thoughts. Since it is still early I approached him to talk to him.

"What are you thinking at a time like this?" I asked him when I sat on the chair beside him.

"Heechul? You're here! Do you have a practice today?" he asked me not directly answering my question.

"I do but we are dismissed early, now back to my question. What are you thinking? Do you have a problem?" I asked frankly to him.

"It’s nothing. I am just thinking so many things at the moment but it is not serious at all," he tried to deny his worries.

"Oh come on, you can tell me. I will understand it, think of it as we are same age friends," I said.

I understand that sometimes he doesn't tell us his problems because he thinks that he is the hyung and he needs to be strong in front of us.

"Have you ever felt like a failure?" he asked me suddenly.

"Huh? Why are you asking that question?" I asked him but I did not get any answer. "Sometimes I do feel like that, when everything that I do goes wrong,"

"I can't help but feel disappointed. A while ago they said that our debut will be postponed again because there are problems in the title song. We practiced hard for that song and what if it will be put into nothing?" he said.

"If it will be canceled then you must accept it and think of it as trials in life. There is no champion that had not suffered failures. If you want to be successful you must be prepared to face the challenges until the end," I said to him.

"Jungsoo, it is not yet the end. There will be more opportunities ahead so we need to be patient," I added to comfort my friend.

Jungsoo put his hand on my shoulder and patted it in a friendly manner. "Thank you for listening my friend,"

"Oh don't start crying on me now. You sound so cheesy," I said trying to lighten the situation.

"Hey are you going