[Yoseob POV]

"5, 6, 7, 8."

"Baby. Negae banhae beorin naegae wae irae Dureopdago mulleoseoji malgo Geunyang naegae matgyeobwala eoddae My lady."

I sang the opening line to SHINee's Ring Ding Dong, immediately going into the first chorus. I watched as my reflection in the mirror hit the coreography perfectly, my two best friends, Hyunseung and Dongwoon, hitting it spot on as well, Hyunseung more so than any of us. The other two, Daehyun and Yongjae, were late in the coreography. Again. I repressed a sigh as the chorus went into the second part, where Hyunseung sang. ended and the song flowed into the first verse, which we had decided was going to be Dongwoon's part.

"Butterfly Neoreul mannan chut sungan Nooni beonjjeok meori stop Belli ding dong oolleosseo."

"Nan malya meotjinnom chakhannom..." Daehyun was sionging now and I groaned. He was flat. Again.

"Okay, stop. Stop." I said, throwing my hands up as Hyunseung walked over to turn the music off. Dongwoon sighed, leaning up against the mirror in our practice room, Hyunseung joining him. They'd seen me kick many guys out of our group ever since I got eliminated from JYP Entertainment.

"Here it goes again..." Hyunseung sighed, throwing a towel over his face and sliding down into a sitting position, Dongwoon doing the same.

"W-what was wrong that time?" Daehyun stuttered, turning to face me, his mouth slack.

"Yah. You really couldn't hear what was wrong with that?" I asked, walking over to him. "You were flat. Again. This song is written in the key of E Minor. You were singing in B Minor. When you're not singing in B Minor, you're always too sharp, in D Minor."

"Yah, Yoseobie. Calm down. The poor kid's close to tears." Hyunseung called from the corner, his head now in Dongwoon's lap.

"How am I supposed to calm down if this kid can't hit the damn notes right?" I yelled back at them.

"Yah!" I turned my head to see Yongjae heading towards me from where he was standing. "Daehyun and I don't have to put up with this crap. We don't need you nagging us all the time. Your pitch isn't always perfect either, Yoseob. So don't talk to Hyung like you're better than him." Yongjae clamped a hand down onto Daehyun's wrist and they left the practice room without another word.

"Wow Yoseob. You've scared off ten people this week." Dongwoon said, his hands absently playing with Hyunseung's hair. "I think that's a record for anyone."

"Yah, Dongwoon. Don't disrespect your hyung." Hyunseung scolded, lifting his head off of Dongwoon's lap and motioning for me to come sit down next to him. I obliged and Hyunseung pulled my head down to his lap. "Seobie. You have got to get over this hang up about being eliminated from JYP. Okay? You're just making everyone else miserable." Hyunseung leaned down and kissed my forehead, rubbing his thumb on where he kissed.

I sighed nestling into Hyunseung's lap. "I know, Hyung... But it's hard, you know? To have your dream crushed when everyone has always told you that you were the best."

"I know, Seobie. I was eliminated from Big Bang, and look how big they are now. How do you think I feel? I've gotten over it though, Seobie. You have to remember that our time will come eventually. Sooner or later, we will be the stars." Hyunseung murmured.

"Hyung~! Don't forget that I was dropped from JYP also." Dongwoon pouted from next to Hyunseung.

"I know, Woonie. I know." Hyunseung put an arm around Dongwoon's shoulder and Dongwoon nestled into Hyunseung's neck.

We ended up falling asleep like that, me on Hyunseung's lap and Dongwoon on his shoulder.

It had always been the three of us ever since we had gotten eliminated.

And it always would be the three of us.

-----

I was woke up the next morning warm and snuggled next to Dongwoon. Yawning, I sat up in the bed, recognizing the room as Hyunseung's. He must've brought us to his house during the night. Always the caring mother of us two.

Omo. I hadn't called my mom last night. I fumbled around Hyunseung's nightstand, finding where he put my phone. I creeped out of the bed, making sure not to wake Dongwoon up as I did so. I fumbled down the stairs and noticed Hyunseung in the kitchen. I mouthed "umma" to him and he just nodded, continuing to cook our breakfast. I dialed the number for the hospital, getting the front desk. I asked for them to page me over to my mom's room, and they did. I drummed my fingers on the dining room table, listening to the phone ring. I heard it being picked up and my heart soared.

"Umma!" I called through the phone. "Umma, are you okay? Sorry I didn't call last night. I was with Seungie-hyung and Woonie, and we lost track of time and ended up falling asleep."

"It's okay, Yoseob-ah. My little boy's all grown up now... And here I am, stuck in a hospital bed." 

"Umma. Don't say it like that. You'll be out of the hospital bed soon enough. Don't worry about the bills either. I have this part time job at a restaurant, and it pays pretty well. Hyung, Woonie, and I are also entering a cover competition. The first prize is $10,000, umma! Hyung already said I could have his share if we win it. It's happening in three months."

"Kekeke~ My little Seobie, always so caring about his mother. I have to go into some surgery now, so I'll talk to you later, okay? Don't forget to be a kid sometimes too, Yoseob-ah~"

"Ne~ Bye, umma!" I hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen, throwing my arms around Hyunseung.

"How's your umma?" He asked, flipping a pancake over, turning his head slightly so he could look at me from the corner of his eye.

"Fine. She sounded healthier. How're you, hyung?" I asked, letting go of Hyunseung so he could finish making breakfast. I jumped up to sit on the counter, Hyunseung lifting his spatula off to try and swat me off the counter.

"I'm fine. Is Woonie still asleep?" He asked, putting two pancakes each on three plates. I opened my mouth to say no when Dongwoon walked into the kitchen yawning.

"Hyungg~ What time is it?" He asked Hyunseung, looking longingly at the pancakes.

"Little before eight." Hyunseung replied, scooping some hashbrowns and eggs onto three other plates. "Get your food, guys. We have to re-do our routine for three people now."

We brought our plates to the couch and Hyunseung flipped on the television. We were in the middle of watching a drama when a small knock came at the door. Hyunseung went to get the door, but didn't come back with a person but a flier.

"What's that hyung?" I asked between mouthfuls of pancakes.

"Don't talk with your mouth full. And it's a flier for an audition for United Cube High."

"Jinjja?!?!" Dongwoon and I said at the same time, the drama well forgotten by then.

"Mm. And it's today."

"We have to go, hyung!!!" Dongwoon exclaimed, reaching for Hyunseung's hand. "We can do our Mirotic performance. You guys remember the dance to it right?"

So it was decided. We would all go and audition for United Cube High today. We ran up to Hyunseung, getting changed and applying our makeup. Lucky for Dongwoon and I, we practically live at Hyunseung's house so he always has lots of our clothes lying around. We ran out to the cold, Hyunseung reminding us to grab our jackets on the way out. We warmed up our vocals in the car, singing along to f(x) on our way to the audition. We got out of the car, Hyunseung getting our numbers. 112, 113, and 114. We stood in line, Hyunseung and Dongwoon in their own little words while we waited.

I was just about to zone out when movement ahead of us in the line caught my eye. A tall boy with a guitar slung over his back just got in line, his eyebrows drawn into a frown as he talked to his friends.

God. He's gorgeous.

I blushed at the thought, and watched as he entered the audition with his two friends. Hyunseung noticed my blush and looked in the direction they were before.

"Are you feeling okay, Seobie?" He asked, placing a hand on my forehead.

"M-mm." I mumbled, not wanting to worry my hyung.

"Numbers 112, 113, and 114."

Our numbers were called out and I instantly gripped Hyunseung's hand, Dongwoon doing the same. We entered the audition room, a panel of five judges waiting inside. I recognized HyunA and Eunkwang instantly, and the one in the middle was Cube's CEO. I had seen him on television a few times. Hyunseung took out his ipod and plugged it into the player, the instrumental for Mirotic starting.

"Shijageun dalkomhage, pyeongbeomhage na ege kkeullyeo Eonjena geuraetdeushi meonjeo mareul georeowa modeun ganeungseong, yeoreodwo Oh~" Hyunseung started off the song, singing both Jaejoong's and Changmin's parts. His dance moves were crisp, precise. I noticed a glimpse of something on Hyuna's face as she watched him. I couldn't tell what it was though.

"Sarangeun mwoda? mwoda! imi sushigeo Red Ocean Nan, breakin' my rules again aljanha jiruhangeol? jogeum dachyeodo neon, kwaenchanha Oh~" Dongwoon sang, his voice spot on as he merged Junsu's and Yoochun's parts together.

"Neon nareul wonhae neon naege ppajyeo neon naege michyeo He eo nal su eobseo" "I got you~ under my skin." "Neon nareul wonhae neon naege ppajyeo neon naege michyeo Neon naui no ye" "I got you~ under my skin." I sang the chorus, Dongwoon and Hyunseung harmonizing with the english lyrics.

We finished our song off, and bowed to the judges. I reached for Hyunseung's hand, as he reached for mine and Dongwoon's.

"Well, numbers 112, 113, 114. It looks like you've passed as well."

I think I remember squealing like a little girl right then, but whatever.

I had another chance at being a star.

That was all that mattered now.

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Ahhh~ Sorry for the long and boring chapter. ^^

Still getting everything into motion and stuff...

Thank you for reading~! Comment and suscribe, ne? ^^