Sunhwa arrived in a room, not unlike the practice room she had just left. The other girls were crowded in a corner, giggling and whispering loudly. Sunhwa’s eyes slid over to the other side and she had to keep her jaw from dropping open.

There were a few chairs lined up in a row. First was a middle-aged man, sitting with his arms crossed. Even though he was dressed casually, Sunhwa could feel the power radiating from him across the room. That must be President Lee Soo Man, she thought. He was the director of SM and made all of the executive decisions. This was one man he had to please.

But the girls weren’t giggling about President Lee…far from it. Along the row, five guys were sitting.

It didn’t take a genius (or even Sunhwa’s recently earned high school diploma) to figure out who they were. They were SHINee, a new group from SM that was going to debut in a couple months. That’s what Sunhwa had come to audition for – to be one of their back-up dancers. And if all went well, she would travel the world with them, and hopefully become a real professional dancer that she had dreamed about doing since she was seven.

Shaking herself to get rid of the errant thoughts, Sunhwa studied the boys.

First was a guy with ruffled black hair that clumped on his head, managing to be tidy at the same time. He had a cheerful smile and looked like a leader. Next was a guy with smooth black bangs that fell around his head in a bowl haircut, framing his pretty-boy face. Sunhwa blinked for a second. Wait, he was really pretty. Sitting next to him was a guy with longer black hair swept to the left and continuing to a sharp point, matching his pointy-looking face. An image of a dinosaur came to mind. He had a smirk on his face. Next was a boy with shorter black hair and a thinner face. His body was leaner and skinnier than the others’, and Sunhwa guessed that he was an athlete. Last, she thought, was the cutest boy of all. His hair was brushed to the left, and his face was…there was no other way to put it…very attractive. His arm was slung casually around his friend’s shoulder while he talked animatedly with them.

All in all, Sunhwa decided, they were definitely idol material. She briefly imagined a bunch of screaming girls chasing after each of them and was sure that they would be very successful.

She was cut off from her observations when President Lee clapped his hands sharply. “Okay, all of you. In a line right here.” He gestured in front of him and the boys. His tone left no questions to be asked.

Sunhwa could feel the eyes of each of the boys scrutinizing them, and her palms began to sweat again. But then, President Lee nodded toward the boom box player, and the music began. She forgot everything temporarily: her worry of messing up, the eyes of SHINee, and impressing the director

The music ended. All the girls stopped, breathing hard, and Sunhwa felt a strange satisfaction. She still hoped desperately that she would be accepted – she had come to far for anything but that, but she experienced an unexpected calm. She had given her best. There was nothing more to do.

The pretty boy member of SHINee and the first guy clapped excitedly at the end, and the rest of the members followed. President Lee gave a dry tap or two. He nodded at all the girls, eyes and face expressionless. “You may go. We will contact those who will be accepted.”

All the girls bowed, and Sunhwa offered up a “Kamsahamida.” The pretty boy waved at her cheerfully. For some reason, he reminded her of Hyun Jin.

President Lee nodded at her, barely, as she left.

-

Sunhwa breathed out a sigh of relief once she reached the lobby, one she didn’t even realize she had been holding in.

She was suddenly engulfed in a blur of ceiling, wall, and…pink?

“Hyun Jin!” Sunhwa protested as she was basically attacked in a hug by the latter.

“How did you do? Wasn’t it great?” Hyun Jin squealed excitedly. “Omo I think the pretty one looked at me! His face is so nice and his smile is perfect! KYAAA I think I’ll faint if I have to see him, JJIANG!”

“Okay, okay,” Sunhwa managed to stem the tide of words coming from Hyun Jin’s mouth.

“Mianhe,” Hyun Jin said, bowing quickly but grinning unabashedly. “What I meant to say was, how was your audition?”

“It went okay, I guess,” Sunhwa said, shrugging.

Hyun Jin pouted. “Aigoo, no details?”

Sunhwa rolled her eyes and shifted her bag. “Do you want details?”

Hyun Jin’s face lit up. “Yes! I know!” She proceeded to drag the other girl out of the SM building. “There’s this ice cream shop right up the street. We can talk there!”

“But – ” Sunhwa started to protest, but Hyun Jin cut her off. “Let’s go!”

Hi! Aish absolutely no one has read this story...but I will continue to update in the hopes that some people will. Happy Holidays! <3

- tigress