He was alone, but smart, and needed a plan. He had enough money left to last him about two weeks. He could spend them trying to make his dreams come true, or come up with something else for the interim, anything would be better than going home. He walked through the middle of the enormous city, searching his phone, mentally planning his next week. A cheap place to sleep and shower was his first priority. He already had the list of companies that would take an audition and he had to get someone to take him before he ran out of time and money.

He had underestimated the time it would take him to walk through the city to the entertainment district. As he passed the major network buildings butterflies built in his stomach. He was going to make it. He just knew. He could feel it in his bones, his skin crawled with excitement, his muscles ached to move and dance and show off his talent and skills. He was made for this city, he was wired for this life, not the life of a doctor married to a teacher living in some nice two storey house with a baby and a cat.

By the time he reached the right area of the city he was exhausted. He found a cheap looking motel off a side street and paid for a week. Half his money was already gone and it had only been 24 hours since he left. He hid himself in the room which was old and dingy, but reasonably clean, and ate a cup of instant ramen. He was so tired he didn’t even worry about how clean the sheets were. He sank onto the uncomfortable mattress, pulled his panda plushie out, and wrapped his arms around it. He was never scared to be alone at home but he had never felt truly alone until this night curled up in a strange motel room in a foreign country.

His mind wandered as he drifted off. Was his mother upset? Was she crying? Was his father sad, angry, scared? Or just disappointed that he would have to tell people his son was a runaway. Better to be labelled a runaway in his father’s eyes rather than all the other truthful labels people would have to use.

In the long run he was saving them more pain than they realised. They had no idea how much of a disappointment he was. He shuddered as he rolled over and faced the wall. He was so glad he got out while he could.

Two companies were holding open auditions the next day. Minghao g