“You can’t?!” The choreographer sighed hard and then pulled Jongkook aside. “I thought you said this kid has talent? What good is it me being here if he refuses to try? You’re wasting my time here.” I shut my ears out to their dispute. It was all my fault, if maybe things had been different…

“He’s right,” this stopped them. “Thank you for the chance and I’m sorry I’ll go.” I bowed to them both, my eyes beginning to burn with tears of disappointment. With that I raised my head and fast walked out of the room.

***

I wiped my eyes hurriedly as I went down the corridor. I didn’t want anyone to see me. “Hey Jung-hwa, just wait for a moment,” the next thing I knew Jongkook was standing beside me. Shoulder to shoulder with me. “What’s going on?” He seemed like he wanted to honestly know. “How come you won’t dance? Are you pigeon-toed or something?”

“No,” I shook my head. “It’s because of this.” I rolled up the right leg of my jeans below the knee and I heard him draw in a breath. I was showing him my plastic, thick at the calf and then thin with a rod of metal, prosthetic leg.

“Jung-hwa, why do you have that?” He wanted to understand.

“It was a farming accident.” My voice was strained. “I was sitting on a harvester as my father drove when I slipped and almost fell into the blade. It shredded my foot all the way up to my knee. In the end the only thing they could do was remove it.”

“Jung-hwa,” he sounded caring as he spoke. “I’m sorry about that. Except for a spinal disc fracture I’m perfectly happy and healthy. But you, you’ve had it tough. Is that why you tell them you can’t dance?”

“I can only walk and run a short distance with it.”

“Hmm,” he put an arm around my shoulders like a hyung. “I think this can be fixed. I know that you don’t want to dance but even ballad singers have to move around the stage from time to time.”

“Wait, am I going to be a ballad s-singer--?”

“Yeah is there something wrong with that?” I shook my head. He laughed and patted me on the head. “Good, let’s go back I’ll explain to him. It will be fine.” I managed to smile, a tranquil peace beginning to overflow as something deep inside assured me that it was going to work out.

“T-thank you Jongkook-sshi,” I bowed to him with his arm still on my shoulders with all the gratitude I had flowing from my heart.

“Hey from now on it’s hyung,” he told me pretending to be annoyed but then broke into a grin.

***

We went back and I faced the choreographer again.

“Sorry but it looks like I won’t need you for today.”

“Wait, what, why?” He was shocked. “Why the sudden change?”

“Jung-hwa is going to debut as a ballad singer instead.”

“He’ll be a ballad singer?” Seeing his opinion didn’t matter he just bowed to Jongkook and left without another word. Soon it was just me and him.

“So Jung-hwa-ah,” he said continuing to be  informal. “First thing’s first. You need a stage name. What do you want people to call you?”
 

“Hmm,” I had to think of this carefully as it would define my career in the music industry and it would be what my future fans would chant out at my performances someday. “I want to be called, Tenderfoot.”

The End

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So that's it. Finished, done, over. I hope this inspired everyone here who may not be in such a place but still want to reach their goals or dreams. Hope this was alright