February, 2010.

 

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Unbelievable.

Staring at the email in my YouTube inbox, I felt my mouth turn dry and my palms sweat. There is was, in plain black and white - what I'd been waiting for all along: A letter to come to the New York SMentertainment auditions.

"Oh... My... God!!" I shouted, quickly grabbing my phone from my night table and dialling Anna's number.

It rang just twice.

"I got it!! I got an invite to the New York auditions! I got in, Anna!" I shouted in greeting. At the other end Anna squealed.

"Yes!" She cheered, "I knew you would! This is great, when are they?"

"Next week. Can you believe it? They want to hear me sing, in person! I've never been invited to an audition, this is big!"

"Aaah I'm so excited for you! Do you want me to come with you, to the auditions?"

"It says i can only take one person, preferably my 'manager' or 'legal representative'."

"Soooo... Your folks?" She guesses glumly.

"Yeah." I sighed. "Sure my Mom wouldn't mind taking me, but my dads not gonna like this."

"He will, once he realises how much talent you have."

"You know what he thinks of me singing those 'rubbish foreign songs'." I mumbled dejectedly.

"But your mother supports you, go with her to the auditions. When you get signed, your dad will come around."

"If, I get signed" I reminded her. "Ahh I'm so excited! I'm gonna make a video to thank my fans on YouTube."

"That's a good idea." Anna agreed. "They got you where you are, never forget the 'little people' when you make it big."

"How could I ever do that?" I scoffed. "I'd be nowhere without them."

We chatted some more before I finally hung up. Fiddling with my webcam I felt a surge of joy. An invite to auditions, I could hardly wait!

But first... To thank my subscribers.

 

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Two Weeks Later:

 

"We're here to see Mr... Ummm... Kang-dae?" My mother told the women taking in those where auditioning’ names. I cringed at her pronunciation, making the simple korean name more Westernised so it sounded like "Kay-ang".

The American secretary gave her a sympathetic smile before turning to look at me.

"Miss C. Young?" She asked kindly. I nodded my head. "Ah you were the first place winner of the Eversing competition. Your audition is with Mr. Kang-dae himself. Right through the door on the left with the other finalists.”

"Thank you!" I gushed, already bouncing with excitement. I ploughed ahead through the door, whilst my mother hung back, admiring the posters of the various signed Kpop stars.

Inside the door was a small narrow corridor lined with chairs. Already there were two young girls and three boys sat down with their respective parents. I glanced at them nervously.

"Oh, I didn't know others got through to this audition, too." My mother commented loudly. They glanced up at our entrance with curiosity.

"Well, second and third from the singing part are here, as well as the first, second and third from the dance one." We sat down and I noticed a few dirty looks we were receiving.

"What place did you come again, dear?" Mother asked, still speaking far too loudly for this hushed room.

"First Mother, for the singing."

"Then you've got nothing to worry about." She chuckled. The glares intensified and I almost slouched down in my chair from mortification.

Luckily the door at the other end of the hall opened, and an ageing Korean man stepped out, clad in an expensive looking grey suit. He smiled at us all individually before bowing slightly.

"We will start with dance." He spoke, his voice rough and deep, though his accent was not as prominent as I thought it would be. He's obviously been learning English for a while I thought with admiration.

"Could Jason Mathews come first, please?" A women behind the man asked. She was English and dressed in a business suit of her own, only hers was a lighter grey with dark grey stripes.

Mathew, who was a shortish boy no older than 16 wearing baggy clothing and a GDragon wristband, hopped up off his chair. His nervous looking father followed, and the group disappeared, closing the door behind them.

"That's the dance winner." The girl next to me explained to her Mother.

The girl was clearly half Asian and very pretty with fluffy dark brown hair and oval brown eyes. She wore pretty, stylish clothing and held a designer handbag with an expensive looking phone in her other hand,

"I see." Her mother sniffed, never once glancing up from her blackberry. The girl rolled her eyes before they met mine. She turned towards me with a calculating look.

"You must be Callie. Or should I say, 'CalSingsK'. I saw your audition video. It was.... Interesting." She smirked. I felt the barb behind her sweet words.

I forced a smile back.

"Interesting enough to win." I retorted back just as sugary. We stared one another down for a moment longer before she turned back away, clearly dismissing me.

I released a breath.

I hated catty girls, but no way would I let her think she got to me. Still, I hated that she had seen my audition video, as well as known my YouTube username. I didn't know anything about these other auditionees... I hadn't thought it important too.

I was regretting that now.

I sat for the next hour as the three dance winners came as went, going through the door at the end and never reappearing.

Now, all who were left was the three vocal winners, me, Nnotty and the other girl, who had yet to speak and was here with her bored looking father. My mother was becoming restless.

"Have you prepared something to sing?" She asked suddenly. I noticed Snotty shooting us glances, clearly eavesdropping.

"Yeah. I'm singing 'My Sweetie', by B.O.A." I lied easily. Snotty smirked and I tried to avoid smiling myself.

A little white lie never hurt anyone.

"Miss Lawrence?" The American women in the business suit called, opening the door before my Mother could respond. The quiet girl stood up and shoots us a nervous look.

"Good luck." She mumbled. She was wearing her plain light brown hair in twin braids, and I noticed she had a mouth full of braces with hardly any makeup on at all. She seemed sweet and kind, and I knew instantly she wouldn’t be accepted.

SME was a company all about looks, and though this girl was pretty enough… She was also a little on the ‘large’ side. I felt a pang of guilt looking at her.

"You too." I smiled. She returned it before stepping through the door. As it closed behind her, Snotty huffed.

"Ha! She's wishing me luck? With a face and body like that she needs the most luck!" She announced meanly. Her mother smiled.

"No need for pettiness, dear." She scolded her gently, before patting Snottys hand daintily before returning back to her phone activity.

I shook my head in disgust.

"This... ‘My Sweetie’ song... Is it difficult?" Mother carried on, completely oblivious to the rivalry currently occurring in the room.

"A bit." I admitted, still frowning.

I couldn’t believe how awful Snotty was being, and preyed desperately she wasn’t accepted. The KPOP Industry didn’t need a horrid girl like her spoiling it. I spent the rest of the time talking to Mother about who BoA is before the door opened again, and Snotty is called in.

As she stands she shoots me a confident smile.

"Well... Best of luck to you."

Her words from before when Miss. Lawrence had wished her luck come back to me and I narrow my eyes.

"Yeah, you too." I answer back calmly. She turns on her heel and stalks out of the door, her upright mother in toe, the two of them walking easily in their huge heels.

I grit my teeth in annoyance. Who did she think she was?

"Nervous?" Mother comments, misinterpreting my tenseness. I nodded my head truthfully.

"Of course. SME is a big company in Korea. If I make it... I'm set." She smiled kindly, though I notice the sympathy in her look.

“Yes, well… Always prepare for the worse as well, Callie. You've already been to so many auditions and... I just don't want you to get hurt if this doesn't go how you want it too, okay?"

I bite my lip from answering.

My Mother never had any faith in my auditions, and would never let me attend any of those that wanted money to attend, or those that wanted us to pay for a professional portfolio to be done beforehand. She claimed if my talent alone couldn't make it then she wouldn't fund anything financially.

I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling my heart beginning to race. I hoped, no preyed, that SME wouldn’t ask her for any money upfront. Then I’d definitely not get a chance.

We waited in tense silence until finally, the door clicked open.

"Miss Young?" The woman called. I stood up quickly and gave her a smile. "This way." She held the door open and I practically charged through.

All this waiting was making me nervous and think about what could go wrong. All I wanted to do was get in there and just sing.

Beyond the door was a huge room with a mirrored wall and opposite it with a long table which sat four individuals. I recognised Mr. Kang-dae immediately as well as another door behind them.

"Miss C. Young?" The woman next to Mr. Kang-dae confirmed. I stood in the centre of the room facing them and smiled.

"Yes, I'm Callie Young." I bowed lowly. "It's nice to meet you all." I added in Korean. I noticed the admiration in their expressions and felt a flush of pride.

Against the far wall near the exit door where my mother stood was the American who had brought us in. She smiled at me encouragingly as our eyes met.

"Nice to meet you too. What will you be singing us?" Mr. Kang-Dae answered back in Korean.

"Chuu, by F(x)." They all jotted it down on a price of paper in front of them before Mr. Kang-Dae gestured towards the American Women.

"Alison, if you will." He spoke in English.

It was only then I noticed that she was stood in front of a CD player. She fiddled with the dials before looking back at me, and I realised she must have pre-prepared the CD from the information I had sent them ahead.

"When you’re ready." She nodded to me. I nodded back and glanced at my mother for encouragement. She gave me the thumbs up sign, which I smiled at.

"I'm ready." I told Alison back in English.

The music began and so did i, singing my own cover of the popular song. The judges watched and listened, writing down notes every now and then. When the song ended, they all clapped politely.

"Very good Miss. Young. Would you mind waiting with your Mother in the room you were in before?" He asked of me, again in Korean. This time I only managed to understand the gist of what he was saying.

I was only a beginner, after all.

"Of course." I responded back, not letting on I hadn't understood it all, though knew it was something about me being very good, and for me to wait with my Mother somewhere.

I began to head back to the room we were in before, hoping it was where he meant to go and motioned for my Mother to follow. She did so, though I noticed she kept casting curious glances back towards the judges.

Once back in the corridor, she collapsed down on a chair and shook her head.

"I'm assuming it went well?" She asked. I leaned against the wall and let out a breath.

"He didn't say, but I think it went well."

"You certainly sang beautifully, even if I didn't understand a word you said..." She smiled. I laughed.

"I could've sang an English song, they were just judging on voice, but they will be more impressed if I can show I know Korean." I explained.

"I can honestly say I didn't think you knew it that well. Me and your Father just assumed you knew a few phrases and fancied yourself fluent. I was very impressed."

"I'm not exactly fluent." I mumbled a little embarrassed. "I just know a little intermediate. I still have a lot to learn."

"Well, regardless of what this audition outcome is, I’ll speak to your Father about getting you a proper tutor. You have a talent for it."

"Thanks, mum." I mumbled, at a loss for words.

It was the first time she'd really took an interest in my language learning. Normally I just used apps, online classes and even books from our local library.

"Miss Young?" The American woman - Alison - stepped into the corridor. "Mr. Kang-Dae would like to see you again."

I shot my mother a nervous glance as she stood.

"Judgement time." I mumbled to her as we stepped back into the audition room. The judges were still there, sat at that table, though as we entered, Mr. Kang-Dae stood and gave us a huge smile.

"Thank you for your patience, Mrs and Miss Young." He spoke in English this time, since my mother approached them with me. "We have come to a quick decision regarding your audition."

He paused to glance at the judges, and I my lips nervously. Mother grabbed my hand in reassurance and I squeezed it gratefully.

"We have decided to accept you as part of our trainee program." One of the American female judges spoke this time. "We will start it in three months time. You will receive a minimal payment during this period, and expected to hold a training contract with us for a minimum of three years. Subject to your progress after those three years, we will further discuss signing you as part of our official SME team."

I was speechless.

"You mean... She was accepted?" My Mother gasped, as taken back as me.

"She was." The female judge went on. "Only as a Trainee of course. As we said, whether SME officially signs her is subject to her progress in the three year training period. A dorm will be provided, as will her basic living expenses. All we require is that Miss. Young puts her full effort into training during those three years."

"Dorm?" My Mother echoed with a frown. "Here in New York?"

The judges all laughed, and this time, it was Mr. Kang-Dae who answered.

"No Mrs. Young, our dorms are in Seoul." My Mother still looked blank. "...That is in Korea. All we ask if for you to pay for your daughter to fly there, and we will cover everything else."

"No." She spoke firmly. I turned towards her in shock, my voice finally returning.

"What? What do you mean, 'no'?"

"Exactly what it means, Callie." She frowned, giving me a stern expression. "You have your final year of high school coming up soon, and you have college and exams to think about. You can't move to Korea!"

"But-"

"If I may, Mrs Young?" The female Judge piped up. "Your daughter won't have to give up high school, or even college. She will be enrolled in an English speaking school to complete her education, then into a college of her choice afterwards. We take our Idols education very seriously as SME."

"But that's in Sol or wherever, in Korea." My mother argued. "We live in Florida - America! Surely you can understand my reluctance to let my sixteen year old daughter move thousands of miles away, on her own, to a foreign country."

"She will be protected by the SME team at all times." The woman assured her. "The legal age in Korea is twenty one. Needless to say all our underage Trainees are under strict watch, and have curfews on their dorms and for outings at all times. Think of it like a strict boarding school."

Before my mother could speak I piped up quickly.

"Please mum, you know this has always been my dream. Please don't take this away from me."

She looked conflicted.

"Your Father-"

"Really mum? We both know Dad will just say it’s up to you. Please mum..." She stared at me a moment, and I made my best pleading face.

Finally, she rolled her eyes.

"I must be insane. Fine, yes! She can go! Three years, you say?" She asked the woman, who nodded her head.

"Yes, and she will be in completely safe hands, Mrs. Young, I can personally assure you."

"Alright.... I'm assuming there is paperwork I need to sign?"

The rest of the day seemed to move in a blur as I watched my Mother sign and fill out various contracts and paperwork, whilst I was measured for height, weight and clothing sizes. I also had my picture taken, which they made into an ID card they gave me as we were leaving.

But the whole thing didn't officially hit me until I left the building with my information Pack, and was heading towards Mothers car.

It was official. I was a signed Trainee at SME Korea! It was madness! I was going to Korea, to live on my own!

I couldn't put the information booklet down as we got in the car, reading it as we drove home.

"I suppose you'll be wanting a whole new wardrobe now you’re a star." My mother sighed after we'd been driving for a while.

"Nope! It says here in the booklet that I just need to take the essentials. It says here they provide me with clothing for SME outings and things like that. I just need to take lounging clothes I suppose. That must be why they wanted my clothing measurements."

"Well look at you!" She laughed. "I suppose you'll forget your mum now your a big star."

I snorted.

"I’m hardy a star yet mum, I still have this three year training to get through. I need to make sure I practice hard.”

“Well, it’s clear you can sing. I suppose we better get home and talk to your Father, and book this flight ticket of yours.”

I couldn’t contain my grin. This was actually happening, I could hardly believe it. I’d never thought in a million years I’d actually get signed to Korea Entertainment agency when I began learning three years ago.

And now, in three months time, I would be flying to Korea to live!

This was madness!

 

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Authors Note:

Have a look at Callie's audition song  'Chuu - f(x)' --  it's great. (and a little ironic kekekeke..)

--- But just to point out, the YouTube account 'CalSingsK' is not real. (Well... It might be, i'm not sure, but if it exists it has NOTHING to do with this work and is purely a coincidence!!)

 

Now, i know i didn't go into much detail about clothing, but what Callie was wearing to the audition can be seen here. Aint it pretty? :-) Red is her fave colour!! Snotty is wearing an outfit completely bank busting, check it out here. If everyone likes seeing their outfits, let me know and i'll keep it up ^^

Anyhow, the next chapter will be up soon, enjoy~