The Three Stooges
Jongkey: Since the Jurassic Period
This is it.
I stood, amongst thousands of other hopefuls, in front of the SM building. Even though it was an everyday building, today it radiated an intimidating aura. The words “2005 S.M. National Tour Audition Casting” were printed on a banner. I gulped. I started to sweat. My heart started beating.
Then I thought of Jonghyun. “He’s probably in this crowd somewhere too,” I thought. “He’s probably going to make it.”
I wanted to see him, but at the same time, I didn’t. I wanted to be by his side and hear his voice, but I didn’t want him to see me get turned down.
A million thoughts ran through my head; then all of a sudden someone covered my eyes from behind.
“Guess who!” chuckled a familiar voice.
“Aish…” I broke out of Jonghyun’s grip and turned around. “Don’t touch me, idiot. Am I your friend or something?”
Jonghyun started to pout. “I’m sorry…” He looked down to his feet.
“Ah, um… I-It’s not like I meant anything by that…” I stammered. “Why I am I like this?”
He looked up again. “So, what song are you singing?”
I sighed. “I don’t know yet,” I was too busy being nervous to think about anything. “I don’t know what song to dance to either.”
“I think they choose it for you,” he said. “Let’s hope we don’t get anything embarrassing.”
“Haha.” I then realized that we were really close to the entrance; probably about ten more people ahead of us.
“Hey… Can you go to the back of the line? Maybe like, twenty people back?” I asked.
He made a face. “I’ve been here for 5 hours, Kibum-ah. I’m not going to the back of the line. Why?”
I felt my face go red. “Uhm… No reason.” I turned away from him.
Jonghyun grabbed my shoulders and turned my body to face him. “Why?!” he said again, with more force.
I snapped. “BECAUSE I DON’T WANT YOU TO WATCH ME AUDITION!”
A boy with a mushroom haircut in front of us turned around and stared at us.
Frustrated, I told him off. “Yah, what are you looking at, punk?” he got scared and quickly turned back around.
Jonghyun took his hands off my shoulders. “Kibum-ah…” he started. “Do you dislike me that much?” He seemed as if he was going to cry.
I started to panic. “No, it’s not that I hate you, but, uhm, how do I say this…” I sighed. “I-I’m just really nervous. Sorry.”
Jonghyun just laughed, which made me feel both relieved and confused. “Aw, Kibum!” he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “It’s okay, we’re all pretty nervous,” he told me. “I totally understand. I won’t watch you when you’re auditioning. I promise.” He patted the back of my head; I let out a sigh of relief.
All of a sudden I felt another pair of arms hug my stomach. I looked down, and that same mushroom-haired kid was hugging my waist.
“YAH!” I shook so violently that both he and Jonghyun let go of me. “WHAT’S WITH YOU, YOU WIERDO?”
The kid, who fell over from shock, looked up at me and said, “Ah, I’m sorry. I was just so into the moment, I—"
I heard Jonghyun laugh his head off behind me. I facepalmed. “You’re weird.”
--
“Can Lee Taemin-ssi come in please?” a woman called, while holding the door open. The mushroom kid walked in, with light steps.
“How can he be so carefree? Isn’t he nervous at all…?” I muttered to myself. I looked toward a set of windows, which showed the audition room. Three people were sitting at a table in front of the mushroom kid.
Jonghyun tapped my shoulder. “Kibum-ah... You’re going up next.”
I placed my hand on my forehead. “Hot,” I looked at Jonghyun. “Can you go ahead of me?” I asked.
“No Kibum. Just get it over with.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Aish…” I banged my head on the door.”And I even said please too…” I stood there for a while, because the door itself was cold. Then I heard Jonghyun humming again. It was soothing; until someone opened the door and hit me in the face.
“Aigo! I am so sorry. Are you okay?” the woman said.
I rubbed my aching nose. “Yes,” I groaned. “I’m fine.”
“Sorry,” She said again. “Are you Kim Kibum-ssi?”
“Yes.”
“Please come in.”
I glanced back at Jonghyun. He gave me a smile and a V; then he turned to face away from the audition room, as promised.
I took a deep breath as I walked into the room. The three people at the table were watching me intently. Upon closer inspection, I could see that one of them was Lee Soo Man, the chairman of SM. Of course, that did not relieve the tension.
The man beside him on the right spoke up. “Hello. Kim Kibum-ssi, correct?”
“Y-Yes.”
“How old are you, Kibum-sshi?”
“Fifteen.”
“Yes… So first, we’ll hear your singing skills, and then we’ll choose a song for you to dance to. After that, you can show us another skill you have.”
“O-okay…”
“What will you sing first?”
I gulped. “Okay Kibum… Think of something.”
“I-I will sing See You Later by MC The Max-sunbaenims.” WHAT?! Are you serious Kibum…?
“Alright, go ahead.”
I paused for a second, and then cleared my throat. The start was a bit shaky, and I’m not sure how the rest went; even though the minute seemed like forever.
eon jehn ga neun dol ah kal keh heun deul ri ji ahn neun na dwe eo
neut ji ahn geh dol ah kal geh neol man ee sarang ha ni ga
ah pa doh ahn nyong seul peo annyeong…
I looked up. The judges’ eyes were serious. I started to sweat again. “Was that bad?”
The woman on Lee Soo Man’s left spoke this time. “Okay Kibum-ssi. I will choose a random song for you to dance now.” She picked up the MP3 player in front of her.
“Please don’t give me something embarrassing…” I hoped.
All of a sudden Lose My Breath by Destiny’s Child came up. I silently groaned. “Why…”
--
I started daydreaming. “I wonder how’s Kibum doing...” I pondered. Suddenly I heard a song. I wasn’t sure, but it really sounded like…
I started silently laughing. “Kibum’s dancing to Destiny’s Child…” If only I was allowed to watch.
Suddenly the silence broke. The mushroom kid, Taemin I think, ran out from the doors on the other side of the room, screaming, “I MADE IT!! I MADE IT!!”
“That’s amazing,” I thought. “I wonder what he’s like.”
Comments