Chapter I: Auditions Part 1, The Busan Ulzzang Boys

Summer, 2007...

►Yonghwa’s POV

In my hurry, I swayed in my steps. I had just got off the KTX from Busan. I've been running to chase that KTX since dawn broke. I've just overslept for one minute but that super-fast train was about to depart already. I was relieved I actually made it on time.

Ah, finally... I've arrived here--the capital city of the Republic of Korea. I sigh, later I remembering that there was no time to take a rest. I should hurry up lest he leaves me.

I glanced at my watch while I was running--08.45 pm. "Please, stay there! Wait for me please," I said to myself. I hope he hasn't left yet. If he had left I would be dead, I might be lost in this huge city! Yeah, sure I was born here in Seoul, but I grew up in Busan.

Gate 3. Yeppo yeojacheoreom namja.

I read his message again, he has been waiting for me in Gate 3 and according to that description--he looks pretty, like a girl. Hahaha... I laughed to myself. He's really funny to describe himself like that. Okay, I should be able to find him. I looked around the place, looking at each corner after my arrival at Gate 3.

Ah, I found him! He looks just like how I pictured him to be in his description of himself. That namja was exceedingly handsome and yet pretty at the same time, the namja wore a white cotton T-shirt. I see he isn't lying; in fact, his appearance dumbfounded me.

I walked towards that namja. He look up and recognizes me and he greet me as our eyes met, "Ah, hyungnim!"

For the second time within the minute, I was dumbfounded once more. His voice was too heavy and low for such a pretty boy like him. His pretty boy image was instantly ruined and I could only see his manly image that matched his manner.

"Anyeonghaseyo," he adds, bowing. "Lee Jonghyun imnida."

I regained my stature and my voice before responding, "Ah, anyonghaseyo, Jung Yonghwa imnida." 

"Hyung, let's go! We need to take a bus and I hope there will be no traffic jam," he's guiding me along as we walk to the bus stop.

Yup. That namja's name was Lee Jonghyun. He's s Busan boy just like me but he had been living in Seoul by himself since late in the last spring. He was a transfer student in the Seoul School of Performing Arts in the X grade. He was just a year younger than I was, but I didn't know why he was still in X grade while I was in my last year of high school. I knew him from Ulzzang Cafe where I myself had been famous as a cyber celebrity--as he was too. However, it was only today that I've met him, this was our first meeting.

Why did I meet him in this city? The only reason was that we're in the same condition. He had been invited by a talent agency, FNC, to participate in an audition. I was invited too. Yeah, we were on our way to the top... slowly but surely, to see our fortunes in the entertainment world. This is our first step forward to reach one of our dreams--to be a musician.

►Jonghyun’s POV

After a half an hour on the bus, the hyung from Busan and I finally arrived at Hongdae district's FNC Academy. It was not a big building though. Up till now, I don't know what I was here for, I don't believe in this company's capability yet. However, at least I know that this company was credible now, it wasn't fictitious--a hundred people were in the queue lining up for the auditions.

In the beginning, I had thought this agency was so suspicious, how couldn't I? Out of the blue, they left a message on my Ulzzang Cafe page, telling me to come here. At first, I ignored it. Later, I got curious about their seriousness of the tone of the message and I finally replied it.

I had asked them, "Have you debuted any artists?"

They had replied, "We haven't debuted any artists yet, but, you'll get to see them debut ini a week. Please come to our audition! We deal with any kind of instruments."

A week after I read that message I saw the debut stage of a new group in the band format. They were FT Island, a new idol-group under a company named FNC--the one who left the message on my Ulzzang Cafe page.

I don't know why, but at then I was really passionate about becoming a musician. Giving judo up, I started to learn music. This year, I even transferred to the Seoul School of Performing Arts, leaving my parents and two older sisters behind in Busan. I should improve myself in this big city and learn more and more about music.

It was a reckless decision, my parent haven't fully approved of my decision yet. I've persuaded them every single day to trust me, to trust that I would work hard and not fail anyone. I believe that participating in this audition was a way to achieve my dream of becoming a musician. Someday, I would be a great musician and not disappoint my parents; I would never want to disappoint them.

I glanced at Yonghwa hyung who was sitting beside me, uneasy. Around two weeks ago, he had contacted me via Ulzzang Cafe after knowing that I received the message FNC had left. He told me  he had received the same message. He said earlier on, he was also doubtful about the company's legitimacy and furthemore he was in his last year of high school. He said that there were so many tests in his school that was going to be held. He told me he decided to come here after an FNC representative visited him at his home in Busan, plus, his parents had approved. Since we were both  from Busan, he had suggested me to come together for the auditions.

"Excuse me, can I sit here?" A yeoja with a long hair broke into my thoughts, asking for permission to sit next to Yonghwa hyung. She told us that she was a junior high student.

Yonghwa hyung allowed her to sit beside him and she thanked him. The yeoja attracted my attention somehow. Compared to us, she was too young. But rather than being attracted by her age, I was paying attention to the guitar she had brought with her.

"Ah, your guitar is the same as mine," I said to her frankly.

"Ne? Ah, this guitar? Yeah... it looks the same as yours," she replied shyly.

"You're going to play guitar for the audition?" Yonghwa hyung asked her as he showed his own guitar to her.

"Ne," she smiled.

"You are a junior high student right, ah~ kyeopta! What's your name?" Yonghwa hyung seemed attracted to her as well.

"Choi Junhee," she answered us directly without any suspiciousness in her voice. Oh, she was really innocent.

Before Yonghwa hyung tells her his name, I tell her mine before I smirk, "I'm Lee Jonghyun."

Yonghwa frowned slightly, "...and I'm Jung Yonghwa."

A.N.140505:

Hello! This first chapter doesn't have any major change. But, I decided to re-post it. kkk~ This chapter is brought to you with a help of my very first friend here, Xinyie (where are you now? I can't find your username T.T). 

Please wait for the recycles episodes ahead!