Present Day – January 1st, 2019

Skye was rudely awakened from her slumber as the incessant chirping of her alarm rang out from her nightstand.  She swept her hair aside, uncovering her eyes as she glared at the offending piece of technology. She silenced the cacophony, sitting upright as she looked around the apartment, still not fully believing her situation.  As she arose from her bed, she looked over at her roommate, peacefully resting despite the noise.

Skye moved quietly through the apartment, grabbing a comfortable yet presentable outfit before making her way to the bathroom.  As she stepped into the shower, realizations cascaded over her like the hot water gushing down. Some were insignificant yet enjoyable, such as the simple pleasures of waking up painless from sleeping on a comfortable pillow and experiencing legitimate water pressure.  However, as she progressed through her routine, more pressing matters came to mind.

“How am I supposed to be able to compete with years of practice …” Skye wondered aloud as she shut off the water, stepping out of the shower.  As she looked at herself in the mirror, an even bigger concern came to mind. “And what’s the public’s reaction going to be?” She studied her reflection intently, eyes scrutinizing every millimeter of skin, just like she assumed so many others would be doing soon.

Once dressed, she ventured into the kitchen, beginning to prepare a small breakfast, years of muscle memory guiding her movements as her deep introspection continued.  Once she was finished, she took the two plates and headed over to the sleeping beauty’s bed, hoping that her Chinese roommate wouldn’t mind the American breakfast fare.  But then again, Skye couldn’t imagine anyone turning down freshly prepared eggs, bacon, and toast.

Skye sat at the base of the bed, clearing in an attempt to awake the other girl out of her deep slumber.  Her attempts at ‘nicely’ waking up the sleeping girl up failed, leaving Skye pondering her course of action until a memory resurfaced.  Skye smirked deviously as she set down the plates, then pounced on top of the other girl. She leaned close to the other girl, positioning her lips directly next to the sleeping girl’s ear. 

Skye opened her lips slightly, whispering Kyulkyung’s name quietly before singing loudly, “WAKE UP, WAKE UP WAKE UP!”  The other girl’s eyes finally burst open, covering her ear and laughing as she attempted to pull away from second cacophony of the morning.

“Stop it!” Kyulkyung exclaimed, covering her head with the blanket.

Skye pulled away, standing as she joined the other girl in her laughter.  “Get up you sleepy head, I made you breakfast!” Skye called as she retrieved the two plates, sitting on her roommate’s bed beside her.

Skye’s words caused Kyulkyung to immediately exit her cocoon, eyes widening as the scent of the freshly prepared meal wafted upwards and filled her senses.  “Thank you so much!” Kyulkyung said gratefully as Skye handed her her plate.

For a few minutes, the apartment was completely silent other than the sounds of the pair enjoying their meals.  “Why did you wake me up like that?” Kyulkyung asked as she finished her meal, smiling gratefully as Skye took her plate.

“I remembered yourself and some of the other I.O.I. members waking people up with that exact song during promotions,” Skye responded, both smiling at the memory.

“So you were a fan of us?” Kyulkyung asked, eliciting a nod from Skye.  Kyulkyung’s smile turned devious as she asked, “So who was your favorite?”

Skye met her gaze, her own playful expression a mirror of the other’s as she responded, “Hoping it’s you?”

Kyulkyung flipped her hair over her shoulder, projecting endless confidence as she shot back, “I know it’s me!”

Both girls burst into laughter at their banter, causing Skye to have to stop washing the dishes in fear of dropping one of them as the laughter overtook her body.  The girls’ mirth was cut short as the clock struck 8 AM and both of their new smartphones lit up with a notification.

Skye looked down at her own, where she was met with the message: “Please proceed to Recording Studio A by 8:30 for first introduction with your stylist.”

Kyulkyung confirmed that she had received the same message, wondering aloud, “Does that mean we have the same stylist?  Or at least the same stylist team?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Skye responded.  “But we’ll figure that out once we get there.  Go get showered, I don’t want to be late!”

Kyulkyung stuck her tongue out mockingly as she followed Skye’s instructions, leaving Skye with her thoughts once more as she continued to clean the dishes.  The sounds of water drizzling down from the other room reminded her of summer storms from her childhood, and for a moment, she swore she could smell the beaches that she had spent so much time visiting when she was young.

Her moment of reminiscing ended as the sounds of water was shut off suddenly, ing her mind back into reality just as abruptly.  She exited the kitchen, feet guiding her to stand in front of the large mirror where her reflection peered back into her soul. “All you need to do is just to make it through today,” she found herself whispering a familiar quote.  “Don’t think about tomorrow. Just focus on today.” And with that reminder, she turned to meet Kyulkyung as she made her way out of the bathroom.

“Ready?” Kyulkyung asked as she met Skye’s eyes, an enviable level of comfort apparent in her expression.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Skye responded honestly.

An understanding smile and a nod were Kyulkyung’s response as the pair departed the apartment.  They made their way down the hallway towards the elevators, where they were met by another pair awaiting passage.  Greetings were exchanged as Skye introduced herself to Cheng Xiao and Eunseo for the first time.

The quartet boarded the elevator moments later, where they were met by Jiwon and Jisun.  The pair from Idol School introduced themselves, and shortly thereafter the three pairs confirmed that they had a shared end destination.  As the doors opened, revealing the ground floor, Skye stepped out, leading the group as they exited the elevator and embarked on their short journey to the recording studio.

“So what do you think we’re going to be doing today?” Skye asked the other, more experienced idols as they walked along towards their destination.

“If I had to guess, it’s going to be a tour of the premises and an evaluation of our skills,” Jisun responded, earning a nod from the others.

“I agree,” Eunseo responded.  “Possibly some kind of photoshoot as well?”

Cheng Xiao nodded, adding, “And maybe an interview of some sort?”

The group voiced their agreement once again, walking for a few seconds in silence until Jiwon spoke up.  “You know, as great as that all sounds, and as excited as I am about this whole opportunity, I’m really starting to get sick of competing for my shot at fame,” Jiwon admitted as she reflected on her past, reminiscing on moments of both heartbreak and elation.

Skye patted the shorter girl’s arm affectionately, sympathy clear on the redhead’s countenance.  “I know that this might not put your frustrations to rest, but at least you can take solace in the fact that absolutely no one is topping this endeavor!” Skye joked, lightening the mood and Jiwon’s feelings.  

“Speaking of competitions,” Skye continued, “any advice?”

The others pondered the question for a moment until Jisun finally spoke up.  “I think this time is different, it doesn’t seem like we’re pitted against each other, but more against ourselves, if that makes sense.”

Kyulkyung nodded in agreement, adding, “I think it does.  It’s not like we’re competing for a set number of spots, but instead trying to prove that we’re deserving of becoming part of one of the groups.”

The last few moments of their journey were spent in silence as all six girls reflected on the aforementioned truths.  As they arrived, Skye reached forward, opening the door and holding it as the others entered.

Once inside, a miniature reunion occurred as the six noticed that Mei Qi, Eunwoo, and Rena had all already arrived.  Introductions quickly commenced before the group of nine were shepherded into the large dressing room by Gavin’s secretary Jieun.

The girls gasped in admiration as they entered, the awe of the island continuing to astound them.  State of the art technology lined every wall and shades of every color imaginable seemed accessible for every type of product.  Once over their wonder, the girls were introduced to their stylist team for the day, one of the many readily available on the island.   Jieun explained that Gavin would be here shortly to explain their schedule for the day, but in the meantime, the stylists would prepare their makeup for their first commitment.

Skye found herself to be attended by a kind older lady named Glory, who Skye began comfortably chatting with as the older woman went to work.  “So how did you end up here?” Skye inquired, smiling as Glory’s face lit up.

“I’ve actually been Gavin’s hair stylist for nearly two decades,” Glory responded as she began applying Skye’s makeup.  “His father was actually my client first, but shortly after I began taking care of Gavin’s hair as well. I still remember how he was when he was young, full of ideas but lacking the motivation to act on them.”

Skye tilted her head in confusion, thinking of Gavin’s current reputation as a decisive and ambitious individual.  “What do you think changed that led him down his current path?” Skye inquired, causing a moment of pause in the older woman.

“I think he found an idea so interesting that he couldn’t bear the thought of not pursuing it,” Glory responded thoughtfully.  “When he found something that encapsulated his mind, to the point where everything else seemed insignificant in comparison, the mental barrier broke.”

Glory paused, pulling away from Skye slightly.  “You remind me of him,” she murmured quietly enough so that only they could hear.

A blush spread across Skye’s cheeks as attempted to deny the compliment.  “I don’t think anyone’s ever going to be quite like him,” Skye responded, earning a hush from the stylist.

“You’d be surprised.  There’s only a few steps required to change ordinary to extraordinary,” Glory said resolutely, leaving the younger girl in silence as the stylist completed her work.

“What do you think?” Glory inquired as she turned Skye towards the mirror.

Skye sat in disbelief as she stared at a stranger in the mirror.  The gentle touch of a master was apparent as she studied her reflection, light colors highlighting her features without becoming overwhelming.  Skye’s amazement was cut short as a thought popped into her head, triggering an involuntary laugh.

“Is it bad?” Glory asked with concern.

“No, it’s not!” Skye exclaimed as she turned and faced the woman.  “I’m grateful at how beautiful you made me look, I’m just worried that my newfound confidence will be shattered when I see what the others look like!”

Glory’s concern dissipated as she joined Skye in laughter.  Glory put her hand on the sitting girl’s shoulder, comforting her.  “You may think that when you first see them, but wait until they see you.  They’ll be just as starstruck as you were.”

Skye rested her head on Glory’s hand as she thanked her for the kind words and fantastic work.  She stood, turning to where the other girls were finishing their preparations as well. As Kyulkyung turned, Skye’s breath caught in .

“What do you think Skye?”  Kyulkyung asked as she stood, looking at her phone.  “Do I look good or … or …” Kyulkyung’s question was cut short as she looked up, getting her first glimpse of the redhead.  Both stood silent for a moment, studying each other’s visage under the effects of professional care.

Skye found her breath first, smiling as she responded, “I don’t need to know the other option, you look amazing.”

Kyulkyung laughed at the other’s comment for a moment, before exclaiming, “You look completely different!  In a good way, I mean, you look amazing as well!”

Skye laughed as the other girl tripped over her words, taking Kyulkyung’s hand.  “I appreciate the compliment. Now let’s go take a look at the others.”

The pair ventured around the room, complementing each of the other girls as they went.  Skye’s blush grew redder and redder with each visit, as each of the girls complimented her appearance.  She quickly gave up on attempting to deny their kind words, electing instead to simply giving thanks and returning the favor.

As the nine departed the dressing room, they gave their thanks to the talented stylists, Skye especially making sure to be heard.  The secretary led them down the corridor to a large meeting room, where they were greeted by Gavin himself.

All took their seats, Skye sitting directly to the left of Gavin as he took his place at the head of the table.  He cleared his throat before beginning, meeting the eyes of each of the girls as he spoke. “I want to welcome you to your first official day here at Apex.  I apologize, as it’s likely going to be a bit more intense than future days, but we want to make sure that you’re visible to the public as soon as possible.”

The girls nodded, resolute expressions forming as they prepared themselves for the day ahead.  “Today, we’re going to do positional evaluations, introductory interviews, and concept photoshoots,” Gavin announced.  “We want to establish each of you as individuals, separate from whatever persona you may have developed during your previous time promoting.  We’re aiming to shine the spotlight on your strengths, and get the public excited for what’s to come.” Gavin looked across the table, gauging the reactions of the girls in front of him.  His eyes lingered a moment longer on Skye, scanning for any signs of concern. To his surprise, he found his smile widening as he was met by her focused expression as well.

“Do you have any questions?” he inquired, nodding as the room remained silent.  “I can’t wait to see what each of you has to show. Don’t forget that everyone here has your best interests in mind.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help, because we’re more than happy to provide it. With that being said, let’s go!” The girls stood with him, expressing their gratitude as he departed.  Jieun distributed individual schedules to each of the girl’s phones, explaining the locations of each of the stops as she did so.

Skye and Kyulkyung departed first, making their way towards their first stop: evaluations.  “I’m honestly glad to get this off my chest first,” Kyulkyung declared, causing Skye to nod in agreement.

“My thoughts exactly,” Skye responded.  “Though I wish someone I don’t interact with on a daily basis was the witness for my embarrassment!”

Kyulkyung laughed at the redhead’s joke, before halting Skye and holding her gaze intensely.  “I want you to tell me that you’re going to do well in the assessments,” Kyulkyung declared, causing the other girl to break her gaze.

“I think I can do well in the assessments,” Skye responded, earning a dissatisfied shake of the head from Kyulkyung.

“That’s not what I told you to say,” Kyulkyung insisted, reaching up to turn Skye’s gaze towards her own.  

“I … I’m going to do well in the assessments,” Skye replied timidly.

Kyulkyung nodded, though dissatisfaction was still apparent on her visage.  “Now once you believe that statement, it’ll be true,” Kyulkyung declared, turning and continuing down the hallway.

Skye followed after, forced to increase the pace of her steps to catch up.  “How are you so sure of this?” Skye inquired, causing the other girl to shrug.

“It’s easier to pretend you’re confident and work to get to the point where you deserve to be.  If you expect to fail, you’re bound to,” Kyulkyung answered casually, as if her words of wisdom were the most obvious thing in the world.

Skye had only moments to mull over the other girl’s advice as the pair arrived at their destination.  Skye entered first, holding the door open for Kyulkyung as she inspected her surroundings. One well-lit corner housed a pure white backdrop and a group of high tech cameras while another wall was home to an open pair of doors leading to a small recording studio.

Once inside, they were greeted by a small crew led by a pair of men who introduced themselves as Kim Heechul and Min Kyunghoon.  Heechul then began explaining how the evaluations were going to work, where each of them would choose the song they were most comfortable performing.  From there, they would change into an applicable outfit, and record the choreography and vocals separately.

Kyulkyung quickly chose ‘Mansae’ by Seventeen, explaining that it had been her favorite song ever since appearing in the MV.  Skye’s choice was instant as well, choosing to perform ‘Mr. Mr.’ by Girls’ Generation, the song that first inspired her dream of moving to Korea.  The girls separated for a moment as they changed into their outfits, reconvening and inspecting each other. Kyulkyung looked cute and charming in her student outfit, while Skye presented a charismatic and confident image in her suit and hat.

“Which are you more comfortable with, performance or vocal?” Kyulkyung asked.

“I’m not comfortable with either,” Skye joked.  “But I’d lean towards vocal. What about you?”

“I’m more of a dance person myself, so why don’t we get the less comfortable parts out of the way first?” Kyulkyung offered, earning a nod of agreement and gratitude from Skye.  Kyulkyung wished the other good luck as she made her way to the recording studio, causing Skye to respond in kind. 

Skye closed her eyes and took deep breaths as she stepped in front of the camera, calming her nerves before opening her eyes to face the crew.  “Are you ready?” Heechul inquired of Skye, who responded with only a nod as she turned her gaze towards the floor.

As the opening notes echoed throughout the recording studio, hundreds if not thousands of views of this song’s performance rushed back to the forefront of Skye’s memory.  Deep concentration turned to surprising comfort as she felt her limbs react to the song, moving fluidly as she stared into the camera. Her lips automatically followed along with the melody, as Skye imagined she was just at home, singing along to her favorite song.

The performance she had been dreading for hours felt like it passed in seconds as she lost herself in the music, winking to the camera during the killing parts like the original performers and generally just doing her best to enjoy herself.  As she felt the song winding down to its conclusion, she decided to improvise a little. She moved towards the ending pose as usual, before taking her hat off and flinging it directly at the camera, somehow landing directly on top of the lens as the final note played.

As it landed, the entire camera crew stood frozen in shock as Skye paused, realizing what she had just done.  The silence lasted less than a second before her cheerful laughter rang out throughout the studio, breaking everyone out of their daze.  Heechul reached down, turning off the camera before meeting Skye’s gaze, his stunned reaction still apparent on his features. Barely a moment passed before Heechul joined Skye in her laughter, declaring, “I’ve never seen anything like that happen before!  Well done!”

Skye thanked him as she made her way past the cameras and their stunned operators, her mirth only growing with each passing moment.  Heechul took the memory card out of the camera and led Skye over to the computer, where the pair watched over the footage. For the second time today, Skye found herself watching herself, yet not honestly believing that the person in her vision was in fact her.  To the well-trained eye, there were no illusions of perfection, but Skye found herself pleasantly surprised with the quality of the result.

As the song ended, and Skye’s hat landed on the lens of the camera, a realization struck Skye.  “Wait, is my hat still on the lens?” Skye exclaimed, head whipping around as her eyes fell on the hat, still in place on the camera.  Joyous laughter resonated out once again from all involved as Skye stood with a sheepish smirk and removed the hat from the lens.

As she sat down and set her hat upon her head once more, she turned and faced the director.  “So what do you think?” she asked Heechul, whose smile had never faded.

“I don’t think we’ll need another take,” he responded, causing a grin of Skye’s own to form.

Skye stood and bowed in thanks to Heechul, who simply smiled and nodded in thanks.  Skye made her way towards the double doors, opening them quietly as she entered the recording studio.  As she closed the doors, she was greeted by Kyulkyung’s powerful vocals as she masterfully recreated the high notes and adlibs of the original performance.  Skye sat down quietly, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the other girl’s rendition.

The song ended shortly thereafter, and Kyulkyung was given the approval to exit the booth.  Her eyes lit up as she saw Skye, and quickly went to join her on the sofa. “So how’d it go?” Kyulkyung asked excitedly.

Skye took her hat off, studying it for a moment before meeting Kyulkyung’s gaze with a smile.  “A lot better than expected,” Skye responded, smiling wide as she set down the hat on the table next to them and pulled Kyulkyung in for a hug.  “Thank you for the advice, it really made the difference,” she whispered into the other girl’s ear.

Kyulkyung squeezed Skye tight before pulling away, an equally bright smile on her features.  “I’m so glad to hear it!” Kyulkyung responded, turning to face Kyunghoon. “How did the second recording go?” she asked, earning a thumbs up from the man at the desk.

“No complaints here,” he responded, hitting the play button and letting the pair listen to the audio.

As the two recordings played simultaneously, the first being the standard lyrics and the second being the adlibs, Skye sat with increasing admiration for the other girl’s talents.  “Are you sure you’re not a main vocalist?” Skye exclaimed as the song ended, earning a poke in the side from the other girl.

“Far from it,” Kyulkyung responded warmly, standing and walking towards the exit.

“Good luck, though I know you don’t need it,” Skye called to the other girl, winking as Kyulkyung turned.  

“To you as well,” Kyulkyung responded, exiting the recording studio and leaving Skye to her task.

Skye turned, meeting Kyunghoon’s gaze.  “Are there any warm ups you would like to do before we begin?” he asked, earning a shake of the head from Skye.

“I’d rather just begin,” Skye responded honestly, standing and making her way into the booth.  Once inside, she placed the headphones on her head, closing her eyes and humming the song as Kyunghoon made the necessary preparations.

“You ready?” Kyunghoon called from the other side of the glass, to which Skye responded with a thumbs up.

“Then here we go!  Remember, we’re going to do another recording for the adlibs after, so just focus on delivering the main lyrics comfortably,” Kyunghoon reminded her as the opening notes to her favorite song filled her ears.

“Let’s go!” Skye belted out, beginning the song that she knew so well.  Four minutes passed in what felt like four seconds, as Skye allowed herself to truly forget where she was.  All the anxiety and self-doubt left her system as she stood there, eyes closed and mind on the music.

She stood in silence for a few seconds even after the song ended, finally opening her eyes as Kyunghoon declared, “Nice job, I don’t think we’re going to need to redo that.  Ready for the adlib portion?”

Skye met his gaze and nodded, entering her trance once more as the music began anew.  Skye knew that her vocal range didn’t do the song justice, but she put in her best effort nonetheless, and left the booth without any regrets.  As she made her way onto the sofa, the doors opened and Kyulkyung entered.

“So how’d it go?” Skye asked, echoing the other girl’s exact greeting from earlier.

A goofy smile formed on Kyulkyung’s lips as she sat down next to Skye, responding, “About as phenomenally as I expected.”

Skye rolled her eyes at Kyulkyung’s endless confidence, but couldn’t help smiling with her.  “Ready to listen?” Kyunghoon asked from the desk.

“Absolutely!” Kyulkyung answered before Skye could say a word, earning a bit of a glare from Skye and a chuckle from Kyunghoon as he hit play.  The music filled the studio, and Skye’s soft melody floated through the air to the pair’s ears. Skye found herself humming along with the piece as Kyulkyung listened intently, foot tapping along with the beat of the song.  Kyulkyung’s focused expression shifted to one of pride as the adlibs and high notes played, resonating through the enclosed space.

As the song wound down, Skye turned to the other girl, asking her timidly, “So what do you think?”

Kyulkyung turned, eyebrow raised as she responded, “I don’t think you’re as far behind everyone else as you think you are.”  Skye’s face instantly turned as red as her hair, mumbling excuses and thanks as she turned away.

“Is there anything else we need to do?” Skye asked Kyunghoon, who responded with a shake of the head.

“Nope, looks like you two are done here,” he responded.  The pair expressed their gratitude as they departed the recording area, changing into their previous attire before waving goodbye to the crew and departing the recording area.

“So next is the concept photoshoots, right?” Skye asked.

“I think that’s correct,” Kyulkyung said as she pulled out her phone, confirming their next item on their schedule.  The pair made their way down the hall, discussing their individual recordings as they walked. Kyulkyung burst into laughter as Skye told her the story of the hat landing on the lens.

“How did you even think of that?” Kyulkyung asked in disbelief, earning a shrug from Skye.

“I guess it was just an improvisation in the heat of the moment,” Skye answered honestly, turning and smiling at the other girl.  “Maybe it was the tiniest bit of confidence shining through.”

Kyulkyung smiled in return, opening to respond, but Skye cut her off, joking, “Probably not.”  Kyulkyung sighed in mock frustration, slapping the other girl's arm playfully. Luckily, Skye was saved from further wrath as they turned the corner and were greeted by Cheng Xiao and Eunseo.

After greetings were exchanged, Eunseo explained that they had just finished up shooting for the concept photoshoots.  “It was insane!” Eunseo exclaimed. “It was an absolute whirlwind of a time, we must have covered all four concepts in an hour, tops!”

“I keep thinking my expectations are set too high to be surprised, but I keep getting proven wrong,” Kyulkyung said in amazement, leading to nods of agreement from the others.

“What were the concepts you took photos for?” Skye asked.

“They were…” Eunseo began to answer until she was interrupted by Cheng Xiao's hand covering .

“Care to guess?” Cheng Xiao inquired with a playful smirk.

Skye rolled her eyes before furrowing her brows, pretending to deeply consider the question for a few seconds before answering.  “Well first of all, I’d assume you were happy to crank up your aegyo for the cute concept.”  Cheng Xiao nodded in confirmation, encouraging the redhead to continue.

“Next, I assume you made hearts stop and noses bleed with a bit of a y concept before letting your radiant beauty shine through with an elegant concept and rounding things out with some charismatic girl crush photos,” Skye answered, taking a step closer with every guess and ending her list by leaning close to Cheng Xiao’s ear.

“So how many did I get right?” Skye whispered, teasing words sending vibrations down Cheng Xiao’s spine and causing the girl to shudder.

Eunseo decided she had had enough, pulling Skye away as she declared, “Alright, you got them all right, now why are you so close?”

Skye laughed as she pulled away, playfully raising an eyebrow at Eunseo’s sudden outburst.  “Jealous?” Skye quipped, inducing a bright red blush from Eunseo. Eunseo mumbled some words of denial, eyes facing the ground as she subconsciously reached over and grabbed Cheng Xiao’s hand.

Kyulkyung decided to save the pair from Skye’s devious schemes, pulling her towards their destination as she bid the others farewell.  “They’re a cute pair,” Skye mused as they made their way towards the photoshoot area. Kyulkyung voiced her agreement as the two made their way through the doors and were met by the sight of Rena in a student’s outfit, posing adorably for the camera.  Kyulkyung covered in a failed attempt to hide her laughter, which resonated through the studio and caught the attention of all.

Rena immediately blushed, covering her own face as she exclaimed, “See, I told you this wasn’t my thing!”  The photographer merely chuckled, reminding her that as long as the fans agreed, she wouldn’t have to experience this concept again.  The photographer then dismissed Rena, turning to introduce herself as Kwon Boah. Skye shook her hand and introduced herself as Kyulkyung calmed her laughter, then proceeded to do the same.

The photographer explained the process of shooting for the four concepts and asked if either had any questions, to which they responded they had none.  She informed the two that they would be beginning with y, and directed them to the wardrobe area, where the stylists from earlier were waiting.

Skye greeted Glory once again, who offered a sleek and bold outfit comprised of a sleeveless silver top that exposed her midriff and a black pair of pants that went down to her ankle on one side and fully showed the other.  Skye attempted to swallow her discomfort as she attempted to compromise, asking for a similar top that covered her stomach as well as a red fishnet stocking to cover the exposed leg.

As Glory looked through the options, attempting to meet Skye’s request, Skye joked, “As much as I trust your judgement, I don’t exactly get out or exercise much, so I don’t think exposing my stomach would be the best way to get fans.”  Glory laughed as she continued her search through the closet, exiting a few moments later with a black top and red stocking that was practically exactly what Skye had requested. Skye changed into the clothes, in genuine amazement at the difference the outfit made.

She exited the changing room, bursting into laughter as Glory whistled in approval.  “Knock them dead, gorgeous!” the older woman declared, coloring Skye’s face scarlet once more.

As she stepped out into the photo area, she was greeted by the sight of Kyulkyung’s incredible figure absolutely rocking an outfit nearly identical to the one she wore during the ‘Whatta Man’ promotions, causing Skye’s laughter to abruptly end as her breath caught in .  Skye watched intently as the other girl posed, memorizing her poses and facial expressions. As Kyulkyung finished, she turned and met Skye’s eyes, posing ily for her.

“Do I really look as good as your expression suggests I do?” Kyulkyung asked confidently, shifting to another pose momentarily before sashaying over towards Skye.

“You look even better than that,” Skye responded as she finally snapped out of her trance, looking Kyulkyung up and down.

“Don’t stare too much,” Kyulkyung whispered as she leaned closer, pulling Skye against her body and grinning as she felt the redhead’s racing pulse.  “Because now it’s your turn to shock the world.”

Kyulkyung pulled away, winking as she walked towards her dressing room and expecting stylist.  Skye forced herself to turn away as she heard Boah calling for her, shaking her head to clear her thoughts as she walked over and stood in front of the camera.

“Are you ready?” the photographer asked.  Skye responded with a nod as she cast her mind back to the poses Kyulkyung had shown previously, attempting to recreate them.

And thus, a cycle was born.  Skye would watch Kyulkyung, memorize her actions, and then imitate them to the best of her ability.  Just as Cheng Xiao mentioned, the concepts passed by quickly, leaving the pair stunned when the photographer announced their completion.  The two changed back into their standard attire before thanking the crew and making their way to the meeting room where they had spoke with Gavin earlier in the day.

Once there, they were met by Mei Qi, who handed them their lunches as they sat.  Mei Qi explained that her schedule had begun with interviews, and she was scheduled to complete her evaluation and photoshoots next.  She also explained that the other six had already had their lunch, and were on their way to their own schedules. “Do you two have any advice for the evaluations, since you’ve already done them?” Mei Qi asked.

“I remember someone telling me something about confidence, but I don’t remember who …” Skye joked, laughing as she dodged out of the way of the empty water bottle thrown at her by Kyulkyung.  Mei Qi laughed nervously, clearly confused until Kyulkyung explained about their conversation earlier. The trio chatted for a few minutes more until Mei Qi excused herself to go to her photoshoot, leading to the pair of roommates wishing her well as she departed.

Once alone in the room, Skye turned to Kyulkyung and asked, “So what kind of questions do you think they’re going to be asking us?”

Kyulkyung tilted her head, thinking for a moment before responding, “I would assume fairly standard fare, questions about your first impressions of the island, thoughts on the debut process, and how grateful you were that you ended up with the greatest roommate in the world.”

Kyulkyung burst into laughter as Skye decided to return the favor and send an empty water bottle flying her way.  The casual banter the pair shared eased Skye’s nerves, for which she was extremely grateful. Kyulkyung’s expression turned a bit thoughtful as she disclosed, “I’m actually really looking forward to your interview.  Despite us getting along so well, I feel like I know so little about you.”

Skye nodded in understanding, responding, “Imagine what all the people who haven’t met me must be feeling.”

Kyulkyung nodded in agreement, then checked her phone as a notification popped up.  “Time to go,” she announced. The pair stood began their way down the hall to another recording studio. 

Once they arrived, they were met by their interviewer who introduced herself as Yoo Seungyeon.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Seungyeon said as she greeted the pair. “Who would like to go first?”  The pair looked at each other, before Kyulkyung spoke up.

“How about you go first?” she offered, causing Skye to nod in agreement.  Kyulkyung took a seat behind the camera as Skye and Seungyeon made their way in front of it. 

“Ready?” Seungyeon confirmed, and as Skye nodded, the interview began.  Skye introduced herself, beginning by sharing a few personal details such as her birthday (December 31st, 1998), her birthplace (Los Angeles, California), her height (167 cm [5’ 5 ¾”]), and her blood type (B).  Skye felt herself growing more and more comfortable as the interview progressed, explaining how she was still in disbelief at the wonders of the island and that it continued to amaze her every day.

“So you’ve been in Korea for less than a year, correct?”  Seungyeon asked.

“That’s correct, I came here after I finished college,” Skye responded, explaining how she had originally applied to work at JYP before being offered the position in the Apex program.

“It’s quite a big career change to pursue stardom, how did your parents feel about your decision?”  Seungyeon asked.

As soon as she heard the question, Skye’s heart felt like it stopped beating and all her confidence left her body.  She hung her head, hiding her eyes as she responded, “... I wouldn’t know.”

Author’s Note:  I’m fully aware that I’m a terrible human being.  For a multitude of reasons, not just for ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.  But I do sincerely hope you enjoyed the chapter, nonetheless. I really hope you’ll stick around to learn more about Skye and see how she interacts with others.

On a related note, do you guys have any opinions on shifting the point of view away from Skye or Gavin for certain chapters?  I think it would be interesting to take a look inside some of favorite idols’ heads and see what they think of the world. Please let me know, and don’t hesitate to add any other feedback or advice you feel like sharing.  Until next time, I wish you all the best, and thanks again for reading!