Chapter 2

I felt my insides warm with every passing moment that ChaeRin continued to ask me about my past in the entertainment business. I could see the excitement burning in her eyes the more I told her about what it was like to do so many television appearances and fan meetings and have general media appearances every day. I had to bite my lip hard to prevent the laugh that was swelling up inside me; I didn’t want ChaeRin to think I was laughing at her childish excitement about learning what the entertainment business was like.

I couldn’t quite believe it that almost an hour later she was still sitting across from me continuing on with her endless stream of questions and to be honest I didn’t really care that I was late for my dance practice that I’d promised my trainer I would do.

“You used to wave like this?!” ChaeRin asked as she lifted her hand up to imitate the way I used to wave.

“Yes!” I replied holding down the defensive comment I had swirling in my head if she decided to come out with something hurtful about it like so many other people had before. A girlish giggle burst out of her a contrast to her low toned voice as she observed herself doing the wave in one of the many mirrors situated in the canteen

“That’s so awesome; it made you unique didn’t it? I want to have something that makes me stand out so people can remember me!” she mused as her expression turned thoughtful and her eyebrows pulled together as she seemed to be seriously considering what could make her stand out

“Don’t worry too much about it ChaeRin, these kinds of things happen naturally, I’m sure by the time you debut there will be many things about you that will make you an individual and stand out from the rest!” I was surprised by how easily these words had come out of my mouth; usually when talking to someone new I could barely get the words out and if I did it came out interspersed with useless stuttering.

Her eyes turned into crescent moons as her smile crept up her cheeks until it reached her eyes “Thank you Sandara-Ssi”

“Call me Dara, Sandara sounds too formal!” I joked and was rewarded with her smiling back at me

“Ok Dara Unnie, It was really nice talking to you but I better go I’ve got a singing lesson in like 5 minutes, see you around” and she stood up and waved brightly at me and then bowed briefly before she turned to leave the canteen.

I sat there stunned for a couple of moments not really believing that ChaeRin had been sitting across from me having a conversation with me. No one here had really shown much interest in getting to know me so It was a nice feeling to know that at least one person was curious about who I was. I had a smile on my face as I entered my training room and the music to start my dance practice ~maybe being here won’t be as lonely and isolating as I thought it was going to be~ I thought to myself.  

Time seemed to have no meaning here; I was in the training room practicing until late at night or would you call it early in the morning? Every day without fail and when I wasn’t there I was either in my bed trying to catch a couple of hours of sleep or having something to eat. I hadn’t seen ChaeRin since that day which was about 2 months ago. I presumed she must be on lock down too getting as much practice in as possible but by the way people here talked about her it didn’t seem like she needed it. Whenever people were discussing her they called her “A natural talent”, “A force to be reckoned with” and “Such an incredible find”. I hoped one day I’d get to hear her sing.

I sat on the floor of my training room staring at the clock on the far wall, it had just gone midnight and I sighed heavily as I stretched out my legs disgruntled by the fact that I had two more hours of practice to do before I could go home. I pulled up the legs of my sweatpants to observe all the bruises that had appeared after all the intense dance practice I had been doing. My shins were almost completely black/purple and I winced as I tried to work the tight feeling out of my muscles ~How can I work out my muscles if I can’t even touch my legs without aggravating my bruises~ I internally muttered to myself. I was about to get up and turn the music back on when a voice caught my attention; It was ChaeRin. From where I was sitting I could see her reflection in the mirror on the far wall, she was perched on an old speaker that was in the corridor that was a couple of metres from my room. She was on the phone her eyes narrowed into a deadly stare, her voice was hushed but still retained its usual seductive purr but this time a lethal tone laced every word she uttered.

“It’s too little too late to make it up to me, don’t ever call me again or you’ll regret it!” I heard her say her voice rising and then the next thing I heard was her phone snap shut. I wondered should I get up and go see if she was ok but then that would let her know that I had been listening to her conversation or should I just stay here but what if she walks past and sees me here she’ll know I’d have heard and maybe she would be hurt if I didn’t go out to her! After a moment my thoughts were disturbed by the sound of someone walking down the corridor, I jumped to my feet and walked over to the stereo to make it look like I was busy with my dance practice. The footsteps began to slow and then finally stopped, I looked up into the mirror and I saw her slowly appear in the doorway an unreadable expression on her face

“I’m sorry Dara Unnie I didn’t know you were here; I hope I didn’t disturb you by being on the phone?” She asked as she leaned against the door frame.

I turned to face her and smiled sympathetically “Don’t worry ChaeRin you didn’t I hadn’t started yet, I hope you don’t find me rude by asking this but are you ok? I kinda heard you on the phone!” Her eyes dropped to the floor and a sad sigh whistled past her lips

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, I wasn’t usually this forward with people but ChaeRin seemed to emit this aura that made me want to be around her and know more about her. She took a few cautious steps inside the training room and then sat down in the middle of the floor. A laugh erupted from deep within me when I saw the peculiar way she sat down.

“Don’t laugh Unnie, I can’t sit down without crossing my legs first, I know it’s weird!” She muttered as she let out a few giggles.

I came over and sat down next to her, concern for her began to mount inside me as I observed her carefully; her eyes weren’t bright and alive like they were when I saw her last time, now they were dull and held such sadness

“Unnie why must people be so hurtful sometimes?” ChaeRin asked her voice coming out in an almost whisper as she fidgeted with her fingers.

I didn’t really know how to answer that question it was something I had been wondering myself since I was younger

“I don’t know ChaeRin, why do you ask?” I had a vague idea of what had happened on the phone but I didn’t want to jump to any conclusions

“Unnie I really liked him and he said he really liked me too but last week when I had free time I saw him with another girl and he said it was because I spent too much time practicing and that his feelings for me had disappeared but now he’s calling me saying he’s made a big mistake and he wants me back!”

“And how do you feel about that?” I asked as I processed carefully what she was telling me

“I don’t want him back, I don’t want someone who can change their mind like that, but I’m sad that someone who claimed they cared for me deeply could just turn like that and have no respect for how I’m feeling”

I nodded my head in agreement; she was right in not taking him back

“ChaeRin you are young you’ll come across people who have fickle minds like that and it’s got nothing to do with you it’s just the way they think, he doesn’t deserve you if he can’t see what a special girl you are, you are better without him. You have years ChaeRin to find that person that is so madly in love with you that they could never imagine hurting you or disregarding your feelings like that and all the heartbreak you have experienced up until then will just become a distant memory” I reassured her; she was only 16 years old and this probably felt like the end of the world to her and at 16 something like that probably felt like that to me too but in time she’d become an Idol and show him and anyone else who hurt her what they are missing out on.

She lifted her head to look at me and I began to see her eyes come alive again as she smiled gratefully at me

“Thanks Unnie, what you have said has really helped, how are you so knowledgeable about this kind of stuff?” she innocently asked

“Hmmmm let’s just say I’ve had a lot of people who have said they have cared but then suddenly left in the past”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned awkward; I didn’t know what to say next after I had said something like that and I’m pretty sure she didn’t know if she was supposed to ask what had happened or just let it pass. When she broke the silence I was so grateful as I felt like I was beginning to suffocate

“You want to go get something to eat? I know it’s late but I’m here until 2am and I’m absolutely starving!” 

“Yeh let’s go I haven’t eaten anything since lunch time, I’ve been locked away in here like a prisoner!” I quipped and I helped her off the floor sniggering to myself as she got up with her legs crossed again

“I TOLD YOU NOT TO LAUGH UNNIE!!” ChaeRin exploded as she swatted me away once she was standing and strutted out of the room leaving me standing there

“Are you coming Unnie?” I heard her yell from down the corridor and I quickly ran out of the room to catch up with her.

~She really is so mysterious; one minute she is bubbly and happy and then the next moment she is sassy and in your face, I feel like we could become good friends~ I thought to myself which is weird because she is 7 years younger than me.