CH.1 ♕ 032007

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03042007 AT 10:45 AM  //  Lee Minji

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I suppose it was the fact that the official group members were announced last night through emails, or maybe it was the fact that I was one of them; I didn't really care.  But really, I'm just truly glad to have had two extra hours of sleep, really.  It sounds bad, I know, but I've never been good with words.  Just because this colossal event has occured doesn't mean I'm suddenly going to start to be.  Believe me, though, it's not that I'm not glad to be in this group, this godsent position.  This is grand event that made even my mother delighted.  After the scolding, of course, but okay that was entirely my fault since it was almost midnight when I called to tell my parents of the magnificent news.

But after reading through the good news of the email, I was sent spiraling into even more frenzy as I tried to process the information given. Sajangnim and 'Blo sunbaenim were making such a big deal about Goddess's debut that they made sure to hire a manager for each of us.  Hyosung completely flipped out because Five Girls didn't have that opporunity, despite the fact that the hype around them and their debut was much more immense than ours, and we haven't even been announced to the public yet.  I told her to calm down, of course, because I'd probably have him running off within the hour we'd meet because I'm not exactly the easiest person to work with.  

Until, of course, I found out who he was.  Yoo Hyunjoong, a.k.a. the guy that managed Lee Minwoo of Shinhwa in their SM-Shinhwa days.  Maybe I wasn't so excited because things circle quickly and thoroughly around here.  Everyone's heard how scary this guy could be, despite his natural hesitant nature.  It wasn't even just that that caught me off guard, it was the fact that sajangnim knew such powerful people because, wow, Shinhwa's still such a huge thing at the moment.  Plus this guy's worked with SM Entertainment and they're not exactly any of the sunbaes' favorites since they're debuting this new girl group around the summertime as well.  This Hyunjoong guy must really be something for sajangnim to hire him since I heard he only just recently resigned from SM in September.  

I lifted a free hand, the one not holding the printed version of the letter I was sent, to  fix my glasses and I squint at the paper.  The letter states that I was to meet Yoo Hyunjoong on the last floor of the building at the room just across from sajangnim's office.  

As I cross the lobby of building to head to the stairs (because walking will make calming these nerves much easier, I hope), I can't help but think, 'Here's to hoping he didn't just take this job to get the deets about Woollim,' because I know many people who are beyond terrifying when they're upset.  

It's around 10:58 when I finally face the door the letter was talking about (I might have tripped around the third floor staircase, but no worries, it happens often).  I take slow breaths, hoping to calm my nerves since that long climb did nothing but worsen them.  I frantically search my mind for anything that  could relax me, when I come across something I found in my inbox this morning. 'Don't be nervouse, Lee Minji.  Just imagine yourself up on that stage, doing what I know you do best and I can guarantee you those nerves will go away. -Dad' I'm really not sure how that would help, but I do it anyway.

I shut my eyes and just imagine.  I can see flashes of golden lights shining everywhere; behind me, above me, below me.  The fans are chanting "Goddess! Goddess!", and somehow I find it easier to imagine them screaming that rather just my name.  I see myself smiling brightly, my insides feeling like bursting open as the seconds tic.  Outside I fight the feeling of squealing all over the place because I can't ruin this.  I can do this.  Finally, a familiar beat begins to play and my body seems to move to the beat on its own.  

My eyes open at that moment and I can't help but be amazed at how real it felt.  With that thought, I lift a fisted hand to rap softly on the door.  

The door opens and a worried expression of a noticeably taller man is what my vision is filled with.  His hair is a fading black, speckled with gray here and there, and his eyebrows are gathered at the center.  I can't help but laugh at his appearance because this poutty look just does not work for a tall, late-forties man.  It just doesn't.  

He must have taken my laughter as an insult because he immediately scowls and I can inwardly see him making a mental note to himself.  "Late and has the nerve to laugh at an elder," he mutters, "This is not looking good, Lee Mingji."

I stroll inside and check the clock, dropping my satchel on an empty chair surrounding the rectangular table placed in the middle of the room and turn to face him with a teasing smile.  "Only by a minute, dear Yoo Hyunjoong, only by a minute.  And that's Lee Minji, thank you very much."  

He heads over to the spot two seats away from me, where papers are scattered, and picks up a pen and paper. "Scratch that.  Late, has the nerve to laugh at an elder, and is only 15 years old," he quickly adds, "And that's Yoo Hyunjoong-sshi to you, dear girl."  His eyes then find mine and all I can see is the fact that he's already accepted the challenge that is my being.  

My smile widens.  "I think we might just get along, Joong-sshi."

The previous worried expression is now completely wiped off his face and is replaced by an irritated one.  Playful, maybe.  Do I really care? Not really.  This messing with him is just too much fun.  "Hyunjoong-sshi," he repeats.  

"Joong-sshi," I say back, nodding my head in confirmation.  

He sends me a glare.

And just like that, my mind completely erases any former doubts about Yoo Hyunjoong.  

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03042007 AT 11:22 AM

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It seems as if sajangnim really likes to bombard people with work because now I totally understand where those eyebags Jin-sshi sports come from.  Trust me; no amount of makeup can cover those up.  Anyway, not even a half hour into our meeting, Joong-sshi's already told me about nine hundred billion different things regarding the big debut.  First off Joong-sshi told me I was rather lucky to be chose because he saw no reason why they chose me. (At which I promptly glared at him for.  He ignored me, of course.)  Then he went on explaining things about the actual debut itself.  A mini with roughly four songs.  Maybe a small concert before any music show performances if people became interested enough.  Roughly eight months till the actual debut stage.  A little diet here and there.  A bit more training and working extra hard.  Yada, yada, yada.  Once you have connections with other trainees who've been training longer, you know the drill.  

A mini might just turn into a simple single if the group members don't get along long enough to actually be in a sudio together for at least six hours.  And even that might turn into nothing, ending with a disbandment even before the actual debut.  You just never have the choice of picking out who you want to be in the group with you, and that pretty much guarantees quarells in a group's future.  A little performance would be less likely to happen since we'd be coming from a company that originally targeted older people.  This decreases the chances of attracting even 20,000 views on a teaser to extra slim.  A little diet would probably mean living off of water and a granola bar or two for the next eight months.  (Luckily this isn't SM, so we do get more than a plain water and unsalted crackers diet.)  A "bit" more training and working extra hard means living in the academy itself because you're gonna be there at least 12 hours a day, maybe 10 if you're lucky and show enough effort to be let home early.  I'm telling you right now, the right connections do get you the correct information because you can't just guess this kind of stuff.  It's something that's passed down from one person to the next--

Wait.

Maybe I was only half listening to Joong-sshi, a bit too preoccupied reading the contract he slid to me while his mouth was running.  It was a four-years contract, apparently the average time an artists stays with their company before any sort of renewal.  What was written on it?  Okay, maybe I skimmed some of that, too, but my eyes totally stopped when I saw, in big, bold letters: Dorm Rules.  

No.  

Just no.  

No way am I going to live with three other girls.  Are they insane?  I mean, I've heard this rumor going around everywhere, that group members would live in a dorm together, but I didn't think it was actually true!  I just don't think I have enough willpower to live with them. And then there's the fact that I don't even know exactly who I'm going to be living with for the next who knows how long.

I was about to speak up my opinions when Joong-sshi lifted his hand up in the "stop-right-now" motion and my mouth immediately shut.  "If I'm correct this is something you've wanted for quite a long time, yes?"

Wordlessly I nod my head.

"Then it up.  Whatever you have a problem with, it up.  It isn't worth complaining about." He looked me straight in the eyes for a second, all laughing matters put neatly away.  I hated just how serious he was being, that this was definitely a no-complaints deal.  But at the same time a little light flickered and I just knew this was real. I was finally making a debut.  A smile spread through my face and I guess that was more than enough of a confirmation for him because he brought his hand to fix the glasses he put on a few minutes into our meeting.  I swear, there was a small grin on his face as well, but I didn't have the heart to ruin our first moment of bonding time and chose to stay silent.

Joong-sshi took out a pen from his satchel and slid it to me. "Just sign here," he started, pointing at designated spots for my signature, "and have your parents sign here and here since you're still a minor."

I did ask asked and put the away in the bag I conviniently brought.  I then looked up at him.  "So don't you want to hear me sing, Joong-sshi?"

"Uh, let me think," he pretended to contemplate the matter for a second before adding, "no. From what I know so far, I have a feeling you're going to be breaking off into singing at any point in time.  Now, Goddess is to be the first all-female group from Woollim, so you four have the honor to have all the luxuries."

A.k.a. Goddess is going to have all the fancy-schmancies.  

"Does that mean a dorm with and infinite pool?" I ask, because I'd gladly live in a dorm with a pool, in all seriousness.  And a patio.  But saying that would just be pushing my luck, I knew.

Joong-sshi reaches over and flicks my forehead lightly (I scowl in return) and says, "You're lucky to even have a dorm.  Other groups have to live in their own apartments and that alone can ruin a group's relationship."

"What if we don't get along regardless?"

"Then you'll learn to.  Or else."

"Or else what?" I ask, face twisted into confusion.

He kind of smiles again, and I take that as a good sign because we're bonding, and shakes his head before going back to the paperwork in front of him.  "Don't twist your face like that. It isn't nice to look at."

I feel my scowl deepen as I say, "Don't smile like that then. It isn't nice to look at either."

This seems to amuse him even more, as he chuckles.  "Just sing. I was bound to hear it anyway.  Might as well start now."
"You're not the boss of me," I say, but I begin to sing to whatever song came up in my mind anyway.

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