One day, after I had already about to give up on ever being able to be in the company at the same place and the same time with my brother, suddenly we were joined by a four of the boys in the training room and they all seemed as if they had just swallowed salted lemons. It turned out they only had been given these two weeks to show what they had so the company could select the remaining members for the group debuting and now everyone was to practice together again and hope for the next time. I inquired about the group then and was told that from now on they will be practicing in a private practice room near their dormitory and that they are apparently scheduled to film a variety show before their debut. I was beyond shocked from finding this out. So what now? I had no idea where their dorm was and I had doubts that I will be told this and that’s pretty much it. That was the last straw. Now there was probably 1:100 chance I will be able to ever see any of the group members. Might as well give up and go back to England.

“Lee Yura-sshi. Could you come over here please?” I looked up as someone had called my name and it turned out to be Tablo again. I stood up and walked over with everyone’s interested looks upon me. I was wondering had I done something wrong and was I in trouble. But his smiling face that greeted me made me relax, there was no way he would be smiling at me if I had been in trouble.

“I have great news for you, Yura!” He started and the drop of formalities did not go unnoticed. I guess there was really good news to announce. “You will be able to debut as a solo singer!” He just blurted it out and I blinked. Once, twice, thrice. There was at least twenty seconds of silence between us.

“Excuse me?” I mumbled.

“You will debut. Well, that’s the plan. The instructors have been giving great feedback about you and the president himself has watched some of the practice videos and has taken interest in you. Congratulations.” Tablo had that fatherly smile on his face again and I just still looked at him without saying anything, just blinking my eyes like there’s no tomorrow.

“Yura-yah, are you ok?” He asked, slightly concerned now that I was giving no response whatsoever. Normally I guess people would be jumping up and down, breaking down in tears or laughing happily like idiots. I was just blank.

“Y-yes.” I responded and tried to get it together again. This was just… This was something unthinkable. I mean, really, I was joking around with being a trainee and I had been not really paying much attention or showing enthusiasm during the lessons and the instructors still nominated me? I did not want to rob someone of their opportunity to shine bright on the stage. But there was no way it could be me. Or could it?

“So…,” I started off, when the news had finally, sort of, sunk in, “what happens now then?” I looked Tablo in the eyes, hoping that it is not going to be something ridiculous like me having to practice 24/7, start recording or practicing choreographies and film music videos. Really, I couldn’t imagine myself doing something like that. Being a trainee was annoying enough at times, having a manager who controls your life 24/7 and being just a dancing/singing puppet – not my idea of being famous.

“Well, you’ll have to move into the dorm we prepared for you, it’s a one-room apartment not too far away from where we have located the boys who will be debuting as well and you will get your own private practice room here in the company.” He started counting all of the things that are going to change in my life from now on. “Also, you will get a manager, he will be in charge of preparing your meals and adjusting your schedules – you will still need to attend vocal and dance lessons, but they will be thought to you privately with a focus on songs you will be recording. We already have collected songs we would like to put into your first mini-album and you get to choose the ones you prefer and think would suit you more. Once that’s done we move onto recording, a lot of practicing and of course filming your debut music video, scheduling debut appearances on music programs, trying to promote through radio shows and stuff like that.” He briefly explained what I would be getting myself into and what would become of me. “Of course, it is not going to happen so soon. The practices and to make sure everything is perfect for the debut it might take half a year up to a year. Trust me, it is not going to be easy and I can’t promise when exactly you will debut or if you will debut even in the end, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that has arisen for you and I’m sure with your talent and if you work hard enough, you will be able to make it big.” Whatever he said sounded sweet and was very nice to believe in. It was any teenagers’ dream. “Of course we will have to have one of your parents agree to it and sign the contract for you since you are still underage.” He mentioned the last bit and I felt my heart sink. I knew for a fact my mother would never agree to this as I knew she didn’t want me near my brother for one reason or another and my father… Well, there was no point even thinking about it. He would never, even in a million years agree to something like this. He wanted me in proper education, one day taking over the restaurant chain he owned. Not jiggling around a stage for men to see and basically selling my talent and looks. There, that was it. If I could have still managed to drag this on for a while by entering the dormitory and just disappearing at one point, then now that was all lost. And I was sure if I turned down this opportunity now, they would probably kick me out. Everyone else was here just for this opportunity that I was given, there was no way I could just throw it away like this. And if I’m out of here, it would not matter if I knew which group and company my brother belonged to, if I can’t be in the company, the strict regime I knew they were under would not let me see him anyways. One way or another, staying here and taking this chance was my only way.

“I’ll inform my father. I’ll get back to you as soon as I get his approval.” I mumbled under my nose, making sure that Tablo would still manage to hear me. He gave me a pat on the shoulder and I rejoined everyone with the practice for today and was greeted with curious looks. I just gave them a smile but refused to talk about anything before I had discussed anything with my father. The odds were that this will not be a pleasant conversation.