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A day in 2006…

“Gosh..I’m late, I’m late! They will definitely kill me! I can’t believe Mr. Lee Soo Man held me up for this long!” mumbled the dark brown haired girl. She rushed out of the automatic sliding doors of the building she was in towards the bustling city of Seoul, Korea. Being the petite girl she is, she had no problem zigzagging through the crowd.
Speeding on the way to catch the bus returning to her hometown, Jeonju, in time, she accidentally bumped into someone by the shoulder. The impact was so strong that the girl she bumped into fell on the hard concrete floor. “Sorry, I’m really sorry, but I’m on a rush.” said the petite girl as she rushed onto the bus just before the doors close without glancing back at the person she bumped into.

The person who was bumped into earlier by the petite girl was left behind as she furiously picked herself up. “Who does she think she is? Bumping into someone and just saying sorry as if it heals my wounds?!” mumbled the frustrated girl. The girl managed to take a glance of the face of the girl before taking a look on the bleeding wound on her elbow. “Eurgh…the next time I see her, I will make sure she pays for what she did!” continued the angered girl.

The enraged girl quickly entered the building she was heading to. She walked towards the reception and stated her name politely, temporarily leaving her anger aside. “Stephanie Hwang.” The receptionist nodded her head and dialed a number before saying “Yes, please go to the top floor. Mr Lee Soo Man is already waiting for you. The so called Stephanie briefly thanked the receptionist and entered the lift. She pressed the button 4 and closed the door.

Stephanie was quite nervous in the lift as thoughts flood her mind. She kept on fiddling with her fingers and before she knew it, the lift bell went off and the doors slide opened. As soon as she stepped out, she knocked on the wooden door three times. A comfortable manly voice could be heard from behind the door. “Come in, Stephanie.”

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A blonde girl could be seen happily jumping around in the living room once she entered the house. “Umma, appa, Krystal, I finally got into the company! After 7 years of hardworking, umma! Finally! Krystal, soon you will be just as good as unnie.” The blonde girl was totally thrilled and excited, yet insecure at the same time. Her parents did not know what their daughters hid from them so that her parents could be assured and happy for them. The both of them promised to keep the secret away from their parents so that they would not worry much and oppose their decisions.

“Jessica, calm down, will you? It’s as if you struck lottery today.” Finally, her father spoke. Jessica immediately sat down on the couch, next to her father. “Yes, appa.” She was always obedient towards her parents even though she looks like an arrogant and rude child by other people who does not know her. Her icy glare was famous as well, it was as though her eyes could kill when she was mad.

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“Hey Sooyoung! Do you want to go swimming with me today?” asked a tanned girl excitedly. On the other end of the phone call was endlessly talking and excited too for the tanned girl. Just as the tanned girl was about to talk, Sooyoung had a phone call on the other line. “Hold on a minute, Yuri.”

“Hello, Sooyoung speaking.” The tall and slim girl introduced herself. Without doubt, she was a surprise everyone, even her parents. Even though she was very slim, she ate a lot. People around her assumed that her diet all was absorbed and released as growth in height. However, even after puberty she remained to be slim and that becomes a wonder for people around her.

Her parents were thankful for having her despite the fact that her mother was quite disappointed when she gave birth to Sooyoung. She expected a son, not a dark-skinned daughter with a large appetite. Everything went well for Sooyoung since childhood although her mother still disliked the fact that Sooyoung came out to be a girl.
“You are selected into the upcoming girl group, Sooyoung. Congratulations! See you next week!” The message was clear enough for Sooyoung and she couldn’t quite believe it. The call ended as soon as the message was delivered. Sooyoung was so thrilled that she was forgetting the call with Yuri.

After a few moments of stunning by Sooyoung, she realized she was still on the line with Yuri. “Erm, I think not today, Yuri.” “Okay, next time then!” “Sure, bye!” Sooyoung ended the call and lied on her bed. “Great! Now more work for me.” Sooyoung sighed. It’s going to be hard for her, she thought. Back then, she was in a duo with another girl in Japan. They always ended up quarrelling in their conversations until the time came when they both are dropped out by the company. She prays hard that this time in Korea, it would be better and hopes that her buddies are in the group too.

After the call with Sooyoung ended, Yuri was packing her stuff to get going to the swimming pool by herself. As she was packing her sunscreen lotion into her backpack, her phone rang. She received the call immediately without looking at the caller ID. “Hello, Yuri speaking.” “Yuri, you are selected in the upcoming girl group. Congratulations and see you next week!” A man’s voice was heard and the call ended. Registering the words in her head, Yuri was so excited and overjoyed that she forgot she was going for a swim and jumped around in her room.

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“Assa! I win again! Pay up, pay up!” A doe-eyed girl gave out her hands and demanded the wages from the other players. Suddenly, her ringtone from her phone went off. She growled but received the phone call anyway.

“Hello, Yoona talking to the phone, yo.” The doe-eyed girl said mischievously in a hip-hop style. “Stop joking around, Yoona, you should grab a hold of yourself now that you are selected of the group. You will be chosen as the visual of the group, so take care of your image from now on. See you next week.”
Before Yoona could even interpret what the voice was saying, the call ended. As Yoona began to regain her senses, she was jumping around and squealing. “Assa! I got selected!”

One of the girls among the players spoke. “It sounds like you have got really good news, so we won’t be paying up right?” Without thinking further, Yoon A screamed at her friends who are also her Go-Stop buddies to pay up as she had just won the game before the phone call. “I’ll be good starting next week!” mumbled Yoona to herself. She still has time to enjoy the time with her friends. Until then, they will still be The Seven Princesses. Suddenly, she heard footsteps closing in to the room they were in. With lightning speed, she shoved the game mat into the cupboard. Then they all kept their cards under their laps. The door opened, it was her mum. “What are you girls doing?” Without much thought, they chorused together. “Just some girls talk.”

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A pure innocent girl was waiting on a couch, waiting for her name to be called. While she was waiting, she was reading intensely on a book in the self-improvement genre. She was an obedient girl, the best future wife that any man would have. She has chosen this career for a good cause. “Seo Juhyun!” A voice called yet there was no reply. “Seo Juhyun!!!” The second call came and the person who was called apparently was not around. “Seo Juhyun!!!!!!” A girl stumbled over her stuff and looked up. “Ah…that’s me. Sorry! I was too absorbed in my book.”

She closed her book and went into the room on the 4th floor that she was directed. She went in politely and sat down in front of a fatherly like man. She was grateful to the man for selecting her as part of the group for she cannot believe the chance of accomplishing her dream. “Juhyun, from now on, I hope that you will be known as Seohyun. Is that ok?” said the middle-aged man sitting in front of her. “Yes, it’s ok. But can I understand why?” she replied the man softly. The man explained the reason to her in detail as he knows that the girl always needs a detailed explanation or she would keep asking questions. He wanted to make it quick.

“Ah…I see… Ok, I understand.” Seohyun nodded. “And Juhyun, since you will be the youngest in the group, you are the maknae of the group. Please take good care of your unnies because I understand that you are more matured than them. They tend to be quite childish at times.” “Can I know who they are? They are chosen among the trainees right?” “You’ll see, Juhyun. Are there any other questions?” “No.” “Good, I’ll see you next week for the actual briefing with the rest of the group.” The man dismissed Juhyun. “See you, Mr. Lee Soo Man, thank you for the opportunity.”

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“Kumkumtakk…Kumkumtak…” A blonde girl was practicing hip hop moves in a corridor near a train station with her earphones connected to her iPhone she got as a birthday present from her parents. Since she was still a student, she couldn't afford to rent a studio. She continued dancing without caring the looks on the onlookers that passed by. Some passersby even sat on the benches nearby to just admire her moves. Great reflexes, amazing dance, overwhelming power.

She was focusing on her dance when suddenly her ringtone went off. Her ringtone muted the music she was dancing to and she received the call by pressing the button on her earphones. She stopped dancing and was panting for air while she reached for her water bottle.

Before taking a sip of water, she spoke into her microphone of her earphones. “Hello?” She inhaled and exhaled rapidly for air, oblivious to the fact that even the person on the other side of the line could hear her.

“Hyoyeon, you are selected to be a part of the group. See you next week!” The call ended just as Hyoyeon registered what she just heard. She jumped in joy and excitement. Putting her hands up, she shouted. “Yes!!” The music was again after the call and she danced back home. The passersby went on their way as if a show just ended.

Being part of the company’s upcoming girl group means big time. They pay handsomely, it means fame, wealth, and not to mention it’s meaningful and it is helping them accomplish their dream. However, it’s painstaking, you can’t get to meet your family often and the friends you have got and really trust is the other members. It is about trusting and relying on each other.

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“Sunkyu? Since you are my niece, are you sure you want to do this? I can cancel out your name if you regret it now before you remorse in the future, you know.” A middle-aged man worriedly said. He was in his office, with his desk full of papers and files that he has to look through. “Yes uncle. I really want to do this. Jigumuen, appeurodeo, yeonwohni.” The girl known as Sunkyu replied. “All right then, I’ll put your name in.” The man sighed while taking his pen out, hesitantly writing his niece’s name into the confirmed list of the upcoming girl group.

“Thanks uncle. There is a favor I would like to ask.” The girl with the same small eyes as her uncle requested. “What is it, Sunkyu? Anything I could do for you.” The man gently smiled. “Erm…can I get another name as I debut? Sunkyu…is…you know…” As soon as the girl said that, the man chuckled and nodded reassuringly. “Sure. I’ll ask the staff to pick the right name for you. Anything else, Sunkyu?” “No, uncle.”

“I’ll tell you something beforehand then. You will be the planner and the manager when you girls are off stage. Keep an eye on the girls. I don’t want any trouble from you or them. Beware of the paparazzi, you got that? Your role in the group is very important, if anything goes wrong, you will be held responsible. Alright?”
“Yes uncle. I do know that very well.” The girl nodded sensibly. “Okay then. See you next week for the general briefing. Send my regards to your parents, would you?” “Sure uncle.” The girl stood up from the seat and flattened her wrinkled clothes before leaving the room.
 

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