-Park Jae Hwa-

I sat at the wooden table facing the big window overlooking the city. My sketchpad was in front of me, pencils scattered all around it. The beginnings of a new collection were etched on the pages, waiting to be transformed into real pieces that would hold a piece of me and yet allow for someone else to feel as if it was meant for them.

At the moment however, my mind was not in the realm of design. Instead I was watching the beautiful sunset, contemplating what would come in the future. Not only was I accomplishing my dream of being a fashion designer, my days as a trainee with TOP Media were coming to an end. I was nervous and excited. The only thing left now was a phone call. Just one phone call and everything would change.

I glanced down at my phone. 7:30 pm. I sighed quietly and flipped my sketchbook closed. As I began cleaning my materials, I heard a loud buzzing.

It’s Time.

I dashed over to my hot pink cell phone and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hello Jae Hwa. Please meet at the practice room in half an hour for Lovely’s final meeting as trainees.”

My heart raced as I hung up the phone. I smiled to myself, pulled on my shoes and exited my apartment.

-Kim Eun Ae-

“Ouch!” I glared as one of the assistants stabbed me with a sewing needle yet again. Fittings always seemed to be painful nowadays.

“Sorry.” She apologized again, trying to steady her shaking hand.

I sighed and let her go back to fixing the dress I was supposed to model the following week. Modeling was normal for me. Although I was young, I never thought of modeling as anything amazing. To me it was a career I had happened to come across by accident. It paid for the bills, so why not go with it?

Being a member of Lovely was different. That was a dream come true. It was nerve racking, and yet exhilarating.

“Eun Ae, you have a phone call.” Someone handed me a cell phone.

“Hello?” I spoke into it, focused more on making sure I didn’t get stabbed again.

“Hello Eun Ae. Last meeting as a trainee in half an hour. Please don’t be late.”

My eyes widened.

Finally

Suddenly there was a stabbing pain in my side.

“OW! DAMMIT WILL YOU BE CAREFUL!?”

-In Cho Hee-

Sweat poured down my forehead as I attempted the same dance move for a tenth time.

“Ugh, what’s wrong with me today?” I collapsed on the floor breathing heavily. I had been dancing for hours, trying to get down a new dance move and choreograph a new dance for yet another girl group.

Oh how I disliked choreographing for girl groups. I was young and therefore received tons of criticism for being the appointed choreographer for well-known idol groups.

I knew why I wasn’t dancing so well today. My whole body was shaking in anticipation.

“Aish why am I so nervous?” I whined kicking my feet in the air. I was getting impatient. The attempt to distract myself through dancing appeared to be failing now.

BUZZ

I rolled over at looked around. Where did I leave my phone?

Oh no, this is important!

I crawled over to my bag and threw things out on the floor behind me frantically. Finally, at the bottom buried under my spare shoes I found the ringing contraption.

“H-hello?” I panted into the phone.

“Cho Hee, please be at the practice room in half an hour for your final run down. Just one more day.”

Practice room?

I’m already here…

“Fantastic.” I sighed and fell backwards on the floor again, counting down the minutes.

-Lee Mi Hi-

“You…lied to me?” I looked at him from across the table, my eyes filling with tears.

He glanced down. “I’m sorry. Please understand-“

“Understand?” I slammed my hand down on the table and stood up. “There’s nothing to understand! You lied to me and there’s nothing more to it! Don’t ever come near me again!” I stepped away from the table. My foot however got caught in the chair, causing me to fall over.

I burst into hysterical laughter.

“CUT!” the director yelled.

“I’m sorry!” I breathed through laughs. My lack of coordination seemed to get the better of me on nights like tonight. Always in the middle of something important.

“Its fine, let’s all take a break. Take 10 people!”

“Need help?” the actor I had just yelled at asked sticking a hand in my face.

“No thanks, I’m okay.” I replied with a laugh. I pulled myself up using the table. “Sorry I ruined the scene.”

“No, its-“

“Mi Hi! Phone!” My head snapped around in the direction of the voice. Someone was holding my cell phone out toward me.

“Coming!” I turned back to my costar. “Excuse me please.” I smiled and wandered over to the woman holding my cell phone. Hair and makeup artists surrounded me trying to do touch ups before we started filming again.

“Hello?” I answered while someone powdered my nose.

“Lee Mi Hi, I know you’re busy, but please be at Lovely’s final trainee meeting in half an hour.”

I smacked away everyone around me.

Can’t believe I forgot!

 I didn’t wait to find the director. Instead I tuned to the person closest to me, told them I was leaving and dashed out the studio, still in costume.

-Sun Chung Ae-

My fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard. They were playing of their own accord, not following any prewritten or memorized notes, but rather flowing from somewhere deep within. I was in my own magical world where there was nothing else but music and me.

I opened my mouth and words started flowing out, not ever really being thought of, just being sung.

At that moment there was nothing in the world. I was somewhere else, far away, dreaming up new melodies to express the ideas I wasn’t allowed to speak in everyday conversation.

RING RING

What instrument is that? Did I do that with the piano?

Suddenly I realized none of the instruments in my music room were making that loud obnoxious ringing noise.

Is that…

I snapped back to reality. My cell phone. Lovely. Our debut. I looked around frantically, searching for my bag.

I spotted it in the corner behind covered by shadows.

I walked over and pulled it out with a trembling hand.

“Hello?” I knew who was on the other end, and yet I couldn’t seem to calm my nerves.

“It’s time Chung Ae. Be at the practice room in half an hour please.”

This is surreal

-Choi Ae Sook-

Why do I always seem to get paint on myself?

I looked myself over in the mirror. There was dried paint all over my face already dry and cracking. My clothes were also covered in paint, random flecks of color found on almost every inch of my worn t-shirt and shorts.

The painting I had been working on loomed in the background.

I loved to paint and draw, but scrubbing off the paint afterward was a bit of a hassle.

“Why hasn’t some super genius invented paint that doesn’t stain or stay on anything other than the canvas you’re working with?” I grumbled as I scratched paint off my cheek. Little flakes of color fell from my face to floor in little whirls.

I looked up at the clock. I had only killed an hour. My painting didn’t even look decent.

“It looks like I just finished finger painting with a third grade class.” I muttered making a face at my creation.

“AH!” I suddenly yelled. My phone had vibrated in my pocket.

“Damn phone.”

I flipped it open and answered in an irritated tone.

“Yeah?”

“Ae Sook, please be at the practice room in 30 minutes. This is an important meeting, please don’t be late.”

I swallowed. This is what I had been thinking about all day. There was no turning back now.

-Universal-

“Hello Lovely!” Their manager smiled broadly as the 6 girls filed into the dance room.

They all smiled back at him, happy but nervous, excited yet terrified. Each was shaking internally for a different reason, but each one of them had dreamed of this moment for a long time.

“As of now, you are officially Lovely, the first girl group to attempt to break all the girl group standards. Don’t let someone tell you you’re just another girl group. You are talented. You are driven. You are passionate. You are beautiful. You are LOVELY.”

The girls smirked at each other. Their manager could be a bit dramatic.

“Let’s throw all standards out the window and show them what true passion is! Lovely, fighting!”

He punched his fist into the air. The girls couldn’t help but laugh.

Cheesy as this speech was, they all felt warm inside. They were in this for the love of it, not the fame or the money. Soon all their hard work would come true.