- Kim Seo Yul -

I was looking at the crowd on the office’s parking lot through my window as I held my mug and leaned on the windowsill. Our parking lot was filled by the audition participants that we would hold soon on the training center downstairs. I would become one of the judges along with the casting staffs. Sung Won, Kyung Wook and Secret members would be there to watch the audition as they were the company artists right now. As I saw those boys and girls down there, I tried to find someone who was also perfect for the new group image.

But then, knocks were making me looked around.

I saw Sung Won standing in the doorway. He smiled warmly and walked toward me.

“Good morning,” he said cheerfully then stopped beside me.

“Morning.” I replied, smiling back.

He looked outside the window and focused in on the parking lot down there. “I heard that Yong Guk has agreed to join the company,” he said finally.

“Yeah.” I looked to the crowd and wondered if Yong Guk was out there, waiting in the line. “I guess this audition will be a formality for him.”

“He comes too?”

I looked at him and straightened my body. “Yeah.” I walked toward my table. “The Casting team managed to convince him and asked him to come today.” I put down my mug on the table.

“So, he will be the first member to join for the new group?”

I turned to Sung Won. He was looking at me for explanation. I couldn’t blame him. Yong Guk was his favorite dongsaeng. Of course, he would care about him and wonder what Yong Guk would become.

“Probably, if he can pass the intensive training. You know how it works around here, don’t you? It will be just like when we selected Secret members.”

Sung Won looked understand. “Alright. But you know his character, right? I’m sure that he will pass.”

I smiled. Of course, I knew how Yong Guk was. Yong Guk was someone who never wanted to give up. If you told him that he couldn’t do something, Yong Guk would try his best to prove that he could do it. Sometime, I called that he was too stubborn. But he always told me that he just wanted to prove him self that he was able to succeed. Probably it was his trait that I admired from him. I never could do my best to prove my self that I was worthy for something.

“Somehow I wish for it too. He is good. It’s such a waste if we let that kind of talent slipped away,” I said.

Another knocks were heard. I looked at the door and saw a plumpy guy on the door. His name is Kang Seok Gu and he was one of the managers under my team. He joined our team not too long ago. I guessed it had been 3 months after he joined.

“Timjang-nim, the audition will start soon. The casting team is calling for you,” he said, telling me that it was the time for the Audition to begin.

“I understand. Thank you, Manager Kang.”

He walked away after that. I quickly prepared my self. I arranged the candidate profile papers and put them on the folders that I had received from the Casting Team yesterday. I was checking through them last night to take a good look on their profiles.

“I need to go now. I guess see you later downstairs.”

“Yeah, I also need to make the speech as the sunbaenim of the company,” Sung Won said as he walked slowly to the door.

I straightened my body. “And, Sung Won.” I called him.

Sung Won stopped and looked at me.

“Good luck with your speech.”

He just smiled and walked again.

I took the folders, my planner book and the pen. Now I needed to work.

- Bang Yong Guk -

I was waiting in the line for my turn to show my skill along with some other people. Actually the company had told me that the audition wouldn’t affect the fact that I would enter the company. Even though they had told me that, I still felt a little bit nervous. Sung Won hyung was giving a speech earlier to cheer the applicants. So I could guess that he would see the audition too. I released a sigh. Somehow I felt a little bit pressured now.

“The next line, please come inside.” The staff came out and called.

I stood up from my position and readied my self. Then I and four other people entered the audition room. At that moment, I saw Seo Yul sitting among the judges. She slightly smiled when she saw me. But then, the guy beside her distracted her as he whispered to her. I saw Seo Yul talking with him.

“Dae, can you all introduce your self and show your skill?” The staff said.

I was the last person on the batch so I tried to calm my self and tried to concentrate on my rap lyric that I had prepared before. But then, I noticed that the guy before me was good in dancing. Somehow he was making me nervous.

“Okay, thank you, Park Joo Hoon-ssi.” The guy who sat beside Seo Yul said. “Next guy, please.”

I cleared out my throat and moved forward. “Annyeonghaseyo,” I greeted as I bowed. “My name is Bang Yong Guk. I’m 21 years old and my skill is rapping.” I saw Seo Yul looking down and writing something on her paper then gave it to the slender glasses guy who stood beside her.

“Can you show me your skill?” The guy asked.

“Sure,” I said then I started to rap.

As I showed my rap skill, I saw Seo Yul smiled. But then, she covered her smile with her hand as she dropped her gaze to the table. I guessed she wasn’t allowed to have favoritism during the audition. I didn’t see any of the judges smiled since the beginning even if the participant was good enough. They kept giving the expression as if they were not interested to our performance.

“Alright,” the guy said as I finished. He looked back to the paper. “You said on your profile that you were part of underground hip hop group, Soul Connection.”

“Yes.”

“Then why were you leaving?” He asked.

“I…,” I paused for a while. “I just think that I need to find my own color in music so I left the crew.”

The guy just nodded then wrote down something.

“You have interest on song writing too?” Seo Yul suddenly asked.

Somehow I felt that I had to hold the urge to smile. But since I saw her serious face, I felt that it would be rude if I smiled.

“Dae,” I replied shortly.

“Is that your own lyric that you used for rapping earlier?”

“Dae.”

“That’s good,” she said then she wrote something on the paper.

“Alright. You all can leave now. We will call you if you’re accepted,” the guy said.

I bowed to thank them then wanted to leave.

“Bang Yong Guk-ssi.”

The call stopped me. I looked at the judges table. The one who called me was the guy who sat on the right side of Seo Yul.

“Please stay here for a while.”

I looked at the applicants who came with me. They were looking at me. But then, I just ignored them.

“Yes,” I said then walked to the side.

I saw there were 3 girls stood on that side too. I recognized them as Secret members. I knew them since I looked at TS Entertainment artist before I came. I bowed to greet them. They bowed in return. Then I looked at the front as the new batch of the participants came in. But somehow, I could feel the girls’ eyes were staring at me.

“Ah, so you’re Bang Yong Guk,” the girl with blonde hair said finally.

I looked at her. I remembered that she was the rapper of the group and her real name was Jung Hana. But she was known as Zinger. I was looking on the company’s artists on the day before. So I recognized her.

“Yes.” But I was confused on how she could know me.

She just nodded as she looked at me from top to the bottom. “Not bad. Your skill is good.”

I smiled as I felt embarrassed to receive the praise. “Thank you.”

“So Unnie is right.”

Somehow her words raised my curiosity. I wanted to ask more. But Zinger turned her back on me and left with the two vocalists who stood beside her, Jieun and Hyosung. I tilted my head.

“Bang Yong Guk-ssi.”

I looked at the one who called me. He was the slender guy with glasses who was standing beside Seo Yul and calling me earlier.

“Yes?”

“Sorry to make you waiting. Please come with me,” he said in friendly way then turned.

I nodded then followed him. We walked out from the room and went up to the office part on the 3^rd floor. He leaded me to a room. I guessed it was a meeting room. He opened the door and turned to me.

“Please come inside and wait for a while. I need to take something first.”

“Alright.” I nodded then entered the room. The guy closed the door behind me.

I sat on one chair and put down my bag. I looked around. The meeting room looked cozy and comfortable. There was picture of the company artists lining up on the wall. Sung Won-hyung and Kyung Wook-hyung were included among them. Somehow I liked the situation there. And not too long after, the slender guy came back again with folder on his hand. I quickly stood up as he entered the room.

“Sorry for making you wait.” He came to a chair and looked at me. “Please have a seat.”

So I sat back on the chair. The guy was sitting on the chair too then looked at me.

“My name is Im Yong Jun from the Music Division Managing Team.” He introduced himself. “I’m sure that the Casting Team has explained that the audition is just a formality for you, right?”

“Yes.”

“So, actually we’re calling you to sign the contract with us today,” he said.

I just nodded.

Im Yong Jun looked at the folder that he brought and opened it. “So, this is your contract.” He turned the folder and pushed it to the front of me.

I moved forward and looked at the contract. I tried to read the contract.

“You don’t need your parents consent, right?”

I smirked to hear the words. “Yeah.” I nodded then looked up on him. “But can I ask more about the group?”

He smiled. “Sure,” he said. “What do you want to know?”

“Why me?”

“Probably the casting team has explained to you that we will form a hip hop idol group, right?”

I nodded.

“So we’re looking for guys who know hip hop. You are a good rapper. We had seen your video before. And, Untouchable recommended you.”

“Hyung-deul recommended me?” I was surprised to hear that.

“Yes.” He seemed to remember about something. “Ah, uri Timjang-nim too.”

“Timjang-nim?”

“You have met her earlier,” he said. “She’s the one who sat on the most right part.”

But I remembered that it was Seo Yul who sat there. "Kim Seo Yul-ssi?"

He smiled and nodded. “Yes. She’s the team leader of Music Division Managing Team.”

What?!

So Seo Yul was a team leader of the Managing Team now. I had never thought that she would have a high position like that.

"Do you know her?" Yong Jun ssi asked.

"Ah, yae. Hum…” I guessed I hadn’t recovered from the shock of knowing her position. “I knew her through Untouchable hyung-deul."

Yong Jun ssi smiled again. "No wonder,” he said. “Her eyes for finding new and raw talents are good. You’re lucky. I have been working under her for a year and I always amazed that she could find good talents. Secret members are the examples of her findings."

Somehow I didn’t know how to reply. So I just nodded in awkward way. Then, Yong Jun ssi was explaining the contract term that I had. But actually I didn’t concentrate on what he had said to me. My mind was filled with the thought of how high Seo Yul’s position was and how I would treat her from now on. I had been treated her as a friend. Now she became my boss and not to mention with high level position too.

And it wasn’t the only thing that I found out on that day.

After I signed the contract and had a little tour with Yong Jun ssi around the company, I saw Seo Yul walked on the corridor. I guessed the audition had ended already so she came back to her office. Yong Jun ssi seemed to see her too so he called her. She smiled and came toward us. But then, I saw two men came. Seo Yul quickly stopped and bowed at them. I recognized one of them as the company CEO since he gave his speech earlier before the audition started.

“Annyeonghaseyo.” Seo Yul greeted them.

“Ah, Seo Yul-ah,” the younger man said with informal manner.

“The audition has finished now?” Park Sang-hyun, the CEO, asked to Seo Yul.

“Dae. It just finished a while ago. But the Casting Team is making announcement for the participants now.”

“Ah…” Park Sajangnim looked understand.

“Is there any good talent?” The younger man asked again.

“Yes, Samchon,” She said with a friendly smile on her face. It was the smile that I used to watch from her but never saw one of them during the audition. “There are a lot of them.”

But then, one thing that caught my surprise was the word ‘Samchon’ there. I knew it meant uncle. So the older man was Seo Yul’s uncle. But what was his position in this company so he could roam around freely like that?

“In the matter of fact, Heojang-nim.” Yong Jun ssi started to talk. “We have the early acceptance here.” He pointed at me and made the men to look at me.

But wait. Heojang-nim? The Chairman of the company? So, Seo Yul was close to the Chairman? Surely, it was making me surprised.

I bowed at them awkwardly. “Annyeonghaseyo. My name is Bang Yong Guk,” I said in the most polite manner of speaking.

“He’s a talented rapper and he also has interest in song writing. I’ve seen his lyrics and they are unique and refreshing.” Seo Yul explained. “He’s also known Untouchable members.”

Sajangnim smiled because of it. “Really?” He said then looked back at me. He stretched his hand on me. “Welcome to the company.”

“Ah, yes,” I said as I shook his hand awkwardly. “Thank you. It’s my pleasure too.”

The Chairman shook my hand too. “Welcome to the family and good luck,” he said with friendly manner.

I bowed deeply as I received his hand shake. “Thank you.”

Then the Chairman looked at Seo Yul. “Seo Yul-ah.”

“Yes?”

He rounded his arm across Seo Yul’s shoulder and walked with her. “About the matter that Noonim told me earlier…,” he said as he dragged Seo Yul away.

Sajangnim smiled again at me then left to follow them.

“Is that our Heojang-nim?” I asked then looked at Yong Jun ssi.

“Yes.” He replied me. “He is our chairman, the owner and also the founder of this company. His name is Kim Tae Sung.”

“Seo Yul-ssi knows him?”

“Sunbae is his niece.”

What?!

“Heojang-nim is Sunbae father’s younger brother. You don’t know?”

I just tilted my head awkwardly because of that. Of course, I didn’t know about that. Ever since I knew her, Seo Yul never told me about her family. Somehow it made me realized that I didn’t know much about her. I guessed Yong Jun ssi understood that I didn’t know about that. He just smiled.

“I guess she doesn’t tell you about it, right?” He said. “Well, Sunbae doesn’t like to boast about it either. I didn't know about it either when I started to work here. But for sure, Sunbae reports directly to Sajangnim and Heojangnim.”

Yong Jun ssi started to walk again as he talked so I followed him.

“But then, there is a rumor that Sunbae will be the one to lead the company and replacing our current Sajangnim,” he said as we arrived at the elevator and he turned to see me. “Well, I guess that’s it for today. I guess you will have to prepare your self to move into our dorm soon. Probably on less than a week. One of our staffs will notify you about it soon.”

“Yes.”

“And it’s nice to have you in our company.”

But then, to know that Seo Yul has quite high position at the company and that she was the Chairman’s nephew was kind of shocking for me. Somehow I realized how different she was from me. And I was kinda regretted to treat her so casually before.

But then, something came across my mind. I didn’t know how I would treat her after I knew this entire thing. And even though I wanted to ignore it, it kept bothering me.

---

Please remember that Korean Age system is +1 year from the International Age system. And it's just a work of fiction. So don't trust the timeline too much. ^^

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Thank you so much for reading, subscribing, commenting and loving the fic.

PS: Fix one mistake. I forget that 'nephew' is for boy while 'niece' is for girl. Hehehe~ Thank you for notifying me, Unnie. I know you know who you are~ hehehe~ ^^