C h a p t e r  N i n e

Waiting had always kept her off her toes. She hated waiting. It meant she had a span of time to think about what can possibly go wrong and the embarrassment she would have to endure forever. Naeun was a positive thinker, she liked to take the best out of everyone and everything. But waiting had her feeling so nervous, bad things started invading her mind. It was unhealthy but she couldn’t help it. They just came and refuse to leave.

Looking down at her flower pin attaching at her right chest, Naeun tried swallowing her fear down. The twenty sixth contestant was called five minutes ago and Naeun’s turn would come after two calls. She bit her lower lip, her fingers tapping against her thigh.

That morning she received a delicious breakfast from Eunji and a good luck text from Sungyeol. They both said they would be there for her, to cheer her on. Bomi participated in the audition too but they hadn’t met yet. She just had to meet her later after the audition ended.

She tried chanting her calming mantra; Channing Tatum, Ryan Guzman and Moose, but the flutters in her stomach never disappeared. Her palms were sweaty and clammy, her breathing became rapid. Naeun closed her eyes, humming to the song she would be auditioning and somehow, it calmed her. She hummed more and more until it was her time to go.

Her eyes shot opened and Naeun dragged her stiffed legs towards the stairs at the end of the stage. She took a deep breath and went on. The light was directly shone on her and she could only make the silhouette of the three judges sitting vertically behind the tables. A few seats were occupied but Naeun couldn’t see their faces. The judge at the far right gave her a nod, cueing her to start.

“Oh, here goes nothing.” She whispered and took her position.

The music started and Naeun began her first step of her own version of routine. Her heart was hammering against her rib cage but Naeun kept her focus, executing every step with a sense of gracefulness she never thought she had. The chorus echoed and Naeun twirled and jumped, then landing perfectly on her two feet. She continued dancing around the stage until the music hit an end and Naeun plopped to the floor, her face was down.

The next few seconds were agonizing as she heard nothing but her own heartbeat. Naeun looked up and saw two people started clapping and yelling her name. She couldn’t see the judges’ expression as she tried standing on her feet. The three of them were looking at each other before one of them spoke up, the woman who gave her an encouraging nod at the beginning.

“That wasn’t the original routine.”

“No. That was my own version. I choreographed it.” Naeun shook her head, her voice sounded squeaky, a little higher than her normal pitch.

“The rule clearly stated that you are to perform the original routine of Swan Lake. Were you aware of that?” The man in the middle asked her, his voice was stern.

“Yes, sir.”

“Yet you gave this performance.” The woman mused, removing her glasses that perched on her nose.

“Yes, ma’am.” She replied, not being able to say other words.

They spoke in hushed voice before the man looked at her and said, “You may leave now. Thank you.”

------------------------------------------------------

As soon as she left the stage and went out of the waiting room, Naeun freaked out. Really freaking out. She leaned sideways and fanning herself, muttering, “Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh. My. God.”

Her chest rise up and down and she slumped down, squatting against the wall. The hallway was empty when she came out (she didn’t care if there were people, she would lose her cool either way). Putting her cold hands against her cheeks, Naeun whispered, “I did it. I can’t believe I did.”

“Yeah, you did it.”

She snapped to her back and there he was in all his glory. Cladded in a dark blue button down shirt with a black jeans hung low on his waist, L leaned on his back, both his hands stuffed in his pocket jeans. The end of his lips curled slightly as he stepped forward, approaching her.

Shocked, Naeun blinked, “Kim Myungsoo? What are you doing here?”

He shrugged and sat next to her, leaving exactly three inches between them. Naeun’s heart raced faster at his close-but-not-so-close proximity. He stared down at her, “You took my advice. Told you it’s gonna work.”

She rolled her eyes, “Don’t flatter yourself. The results haven’t come out yet.”

“Who cares about the results?” L rolled his eyes, “It felt great going against the rule, isn’t it?”

Trying to suppress the smile from forming, Naeun scoffed, “I’m starting to feel you’re a bad influence for me, Kim Myungsoo.”

“I didn’t do anything. You already had the rebellion in you, Darling.”

At the mention of her nickname, she no longer could keep her smile hidden as a wide grin appeared on her face, her crested eyes twinkled with delight. She pinned the loose hair sticking out of her ponytail behind her ears. She said, “Well, you’re right. It