~ Kibum’s POV ~

A few days ago our family arrived here in South Korea to celebrate our holidays here. Of course it is also an opportunity for me to go to SM Ent. to arrange my schedule as a trainee.

Although I will be a SM trainee, I have no plans on abandoning my studies in US. If it is possible, I could finish my high school there before I finally settle in Korea.

I plan to attend short terms at school and the time between, I will be flying to Korea for training. I hope they would agree to my suggestion.

Arriving here after a very long time, I feel like a foreign. I was a small child when we last visited and I barely remember what our house here looks like.

I did enjoy being here. It is so cold already with the snow falling on the ground. It is currently my favorite Christmas yet.

Only after the holidays did I decided to go to SM. I went with my mother since I am not yet familiar with the places here. However, she only stayed in the lobby so I need to figure out what to do first by approaching one of the staffs.

The staff led me to a hall where she talked with someone. Probably she is telling some of the higher officials that I am here. She told me to wait for a few minutes so I sat down on one of the chairs.

I scanned the place and it is full of photos of SM's most successful creations. I saw some of their artists' albums were displayed like from Shinhwa, H.O.T and S.E.S. BoA' photos were also there and I realized that she is really young when she debuted.

They said to wait for a few minutes but I looked at my watch and I think thirty minutes had passed. I was beginning to get bored when someone sat on one of the chairs near me.

I looked at him and he looks like a few years older than me. He noticed me and smiled at me. It made me smile back at him.

It was an awkward moment until he spoke to me. "Hello, are you a new trainee here?" he asked.

"Future trainee I guess, I will be signing the contract today," I replied to him. We are now facing each other and it seems that we will be engaging in a long conversation.

"Really? Wow, congratulations and welcome to SM, I hope we will see each other often in the practices. I'm Donghae by the way," he held out his hand and I took it to shake hands.

"I hope too. I'm Kibum and I'm glad I met a friend on my first day here. I'm nervous because I am new to the place and I don't know anyone here yet," I explained.

"Oh really? I will introduce you to my friends. I'm sure you will enjoy your trainee life with us. How did you get discovered by SM?" he asked.

"Actually, I was discovered by the talent scout when I lost my way in California. She adviced me to go to the international auditions so I did and a few months ago I received notification that I passed," I recalled my whole experience to him. He is the first one aside from my friends and family to know the whole story.

"Ohh so you were casted from abroad. Are you living in the US?" he asked again.

"Yeah, but I am Korean. I was still raised in a Korean culture at home,"

"So if you will be training here, how about your studies? I bet you are younger than me right?"

"I was born in 1987. I think I will be spending the rest of my high school year going back and forth to train and study at the same time. I just need to arrange the schedule,"

"Ohh... that would be harder than my situation. Atleast I could go home during my free days. And if you're not asking, I'm just a year older than you,"

"Really? So can I still call you hyung?" I asked. I have always wanted to call someone as my hyung. Apparently all my friends back in US were the same age as mine.

"Of course, if you like. But I don't mind if you won't," he replied smiling.

"Kibum-ssi? The representatives are here already," the same staff finally called me.I stood up and suddenly I became nervous again.

Donghae keep on smiling at me and I whispered to him "I need to go, see you next time." And then I followed the lady in which she led me to the room where I will sign the contract.

Before I entered the room, I breathe in and out to release my nervousness. I whispered to myself, 'this is it, finally'.

*               *                  * 

~ Leeteuk’s POV ~

"How is your practice for the project group going?" I inquired Junsu and Hyukjae during our walk one night.

"It is fine. Actually there is also another team -- another group like us who were also prepping for debut," Hyukjae said.

"But their genre is different from us. Both of our teams have trainers that teaches us the things we need to know," Junsu added.

"That is good to hear. I'm glad that your team is progressing. I can't wait to see you guys debut," I cheerfully said to them.

"But hyung? How about your team?" Hyukjae asked.

"I don't know. I have a feeling that it will be dissolved soon. There are problems with the title track, that is what they says," I said. We were continuing our long walk to the bus station that will bring Hyukjae and Junsu home.

"Hyung, you have put effort in that team. You practiced for hours just to memorize the dance. They couldn't just cancel it," Junsu insisted.

"I am just a trainee. I can't do anything to change their minds. If there is a problem, they need to fix it," I replied.

The atmosphere is getting serious so I decided to change the topic. "Boys, don't worry about me. Hyung will be okay," I said to them while I put my arms on each of their shoulders.

Both of them were still gloomy so I started to think of ways to cheer them up before we say goodbye to each other. And then we passed by a small burger house booth. I decided to treat them with food, I know that they are already hungry from the long practice that we had.

"Wait, I will just buy something," I said to them before I went to buy burgers.

When I was ordering, I realized that my money can only buy two burgers. Thinking that if I buy them each, they will share it to me so I ordered two burgers.

After a few minutes it was finally prepared so I gave the money and went back to the two. They were already standing on the bus stop when I saw them.

"Hyung where did you go?," Junsu asked me when I came back.

"I bought you two some burgers. I think you were already tired and hungry," I said giving them the plastic bag with the food.

"Really hyung? You don't need to do this. You could have saved your money," Hyukjae said.

"It is okay. Take it, think of it as gift from hyung," I said while giving the food to their hands.

"Well if you insist hyung. Thank you. Someday I would be the one to buy you something," Hyukjae said.

"I will remember that," I laughed at him. In the middle of our conversation a bus had stopped in front of us.

"Hyung I think we will ride in this one. See you tomorrow! Thank you again!" Hyukjae said as waved goodbye to me. Junsu followed him after muttering his thanks to me.

Disappointed that I did not have enough time to talk to them, I still waved goodbye to them until the bus was out of my sight.

I sighed. "I thought they will eat it with me," I said to myself before walking on my way home.

*               *                  *

~ Heechul’s POV ~

I left home early in the morning so that I can settle my things in my new dorm. I preferred to live in the dorms now that I am put in a project group wherein I need to be in the studio until late at night.

My parents would be happy to accompany me but I persuaded them not to go. Instead I asked for my sisters’ help but she is too busy with stuffs. At the end, I went to Seoul all by myself.

It is hassle to carry all my belongings alone from home to the dorms so I had to ask Yunho to fetch me. He will be waiting at the bus station.

Since I woke up early I fell asleep while watching the road on the way. I had a good sle