Strathfield Town Hall. This is where it truly begins.

I wait at the lights and look across the road at the all the auditionees scattered about in front of the hall. They look so young...

I cross the road and slowly approach the hall. Woah. Some of these auditionees are so tall! Lucky!

I take a deep breath and calm myself down. I can do this. This is no different than performing for school assessments. The judges are just as harsh.

I take out my lyrics sheet and go over the lyrics again, just in case. I've haven't been like the other auditionees, having months to prepare a song...since I did just sign up 10 days ago, but this song has been one that I have practiced numerous times before...it's just that I made some slight adjustments to it to make it more "me". I heard that everyone else was saying not to sing an S.M. song because the judges will compare you to the original, so I did what I could to make it different. I hope the judges will see the creativity in this.

I stuff my lyrics back into my backpack and step towards the queue of auditionees. Hmm...the line doesn't seem to be moving...aren't we meant to wait inside? Argh, good thing I brought a scarf along - wouldn't want to catch a cold out here. I softly start humming to warm up my voice and take a look around. There are dancers practicing and showing off their skills towards the wall, while others crowd around to watch. Hmm, trying to psych and intimidate the competition eh? 

Woah! The girl in front of me turned around to also survey the surroundings. So. much. makeup. I wonder if she's going to try out for Modeling...

I turn back to face the front and look up towards the head of the line. Still no movement.

Hm? Why is that girl staring at me? I break off eye contact and stare at the road. 

*Beep Beep*

Sigh. Attention seekers everywhere. Oh? A nice car pulls up into the 3-space car park to the left of the Town Hall and the window winds down halfway. Hm? I see a young Asian woman in her mid-20s, wearing dark sunglasses, staring out at us. Normal people don't do this do they? Could she be someone famous? Someone from S.M.? No, how could that be? There's no point staring at auditionees standing around. The car with the mysterious woman reverses and leaves after about 15 minutes. I shuffle a few steps forward and look up at the wooden doors again. Eh? The girl is staring at me again, and she's saying something to her friend whilst motioning towards my direction. I try not to think too much about this, but I looked around and realised that I was in the corner spot of the waiting line - they are talking about me. The girl's friend obviously pretends to look off to the side while stealing sweeping glances at me. I look away and smile, holding in my laughter. Could they be any more obvious? I don't know what they were talking about and I don't plan to care. This is a public audition, so I've prepared myself to be judge - officially and non-officially.

After some more waiting, I finally arrive at the door. A poster saying S.M. Waiting room was stuck onto the sanded window of the door. An extra 3 posters advertising this audition were on the other side of the door and the walls on the left and right. 

Super Junior, f(x), SNSD, EXO, BoA, DBSK. The musicians I look up to.

The door on the right opens and a young Korean S.M. staff pokes his head out. "10 people please." he says, and ushers 10 people inside then quickly closing the door. I'll be in the next 10. "Here, if you need any movie come find us. We make movie for you." A Chinese man said as he handed out flyers advertising a production company. I stick out my hand to grab one, but was too slow. The girl in front snatched it and read it excitedly. I drop my hand. What was I thinking? I'm not here for this. Focus! Focus! I'm not going to be another Rebecca Black, nor do I want to be. I want to make it on my own, on my own strengths. Sure, I've near made a long MV before...but it won't kill me to try and do some experimentation.

The door to the waiting room opens at last, and I'm ushered in to witness a room full of auditionees, leaving only a handful of chairs empty. The S.M. staff at the desk on the left starts handing out white slips of paper, and this time..I quickly and tightly grab a hold of it.