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TWO

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"Kim Eun HaeMi?" The women behind the desk asked, smiling at me kindly.

 

I stood up quickly and smoothed out my tshirt.

 

"That's me."

 

"Right this way, dear. Director Lee is waiting for you." I followed her down a hall and into a practice room, which was empty apart from three individuals, two middle aged men with one dressed sharply in a suit and the other in sweatpants and a hoodie and a women who was wearing a pencil skirt and a blouse. They were stood around the CD player and charting easily with one another.

 

As we entered, they looked over and the man in the suit smiled and clapped his hands.

 

"Ah, you must be Kim Eun HaeMi." He spoke.

 

The receptionist women have me an encouraging look as she left, leaving me alone with these three strangers. 

 

"An, yeah..." I murmured nervously. "Please treat me well." I bowed lowly. 

 

"I'm Director Lee." The man in the suit introduced. "This is our head choreographer, Mr Davis." The American man inclined his head. "And this is our chief vocal coach, Park Shin Yeon." Shin Yeon have me an easy smile. 

 

"It's nice to meet you all." I answered politely. 

 

"We were very impressed with your audition tape." Director Lee went on. "We're not accepting auditioned at this moment, but your audition tape really stood out for us. That's why we have invited you here today. Now, today we just want to get a look into your skills firsthand, so we have some general practices planned which our trainees undergo. Do you think you can keep up?"

 

I nodded, thrilled with the challenge.

 

"I think I can." 

 

My first task was to sing, and Shin Yeon set off teaching me a simple song. I had just five attempts to run it through with her to memorise it the best I could. The lyrics, I knew from practice with SM weren't what they were focusing on, but if I could mimic the tone and pitch in the right places, along with be in sync with the beat. 

 

Once it was my turn to sing, I took a deep breath and began. Shin Yeon looked pleased and grinned at me widely, whilst the American Davis, tapped his head to the beat. Director Lee watched closely, though it was difficult to see what he thought. Once I was done, Shin Yeln clapped with enthusiasm.

 

"Amazing! Spectacular! Your voice my dear, you have such a great range and tight control. What genre did you practice on at SM?" She asked with interest.

 

"All." I told her. "Though they had me mainly focusing on ballad and harmonies."

 

"Can you rap?" Director Lee asked. 

 

I hesitated.

 

"I've never tried it." I admitted. "Though I always like to try various styles. I'm sure with the right training I could." He nodded, pleased.

 

"For my trial I have a routine I'd like you to try learn." Mr Davis spoke, his accent slightly off. It was obvious Korean wasn't his native tongue. "I'll run through the steps with you four times. After that, I'd like you to display what you remember." 

 

I nodded, and once again set to work learning the complicated steps to a beat on the CD player that hasn't had any words out to it yet. The track was catchy, an interesting pop beat with a slight rock style too it. It reminded me of B.A.P's Worrior track. 

 

Once it was my turn to dance alone, I put all my efforts into the movements, though couldn't help but notice the slight frown on Mr Davis's face. Once I was finished and panting, they turned off the music and regarded me closely. I smoothed out my top again.

 

"Your moves are precise and powerful." Mr Davis nodded. "Can you freestyle, I wonder?" 

 

I bit my lip.

 

"Uh... No." I admitted, cringing. "I can follow dance routines pretty easily, but I'm not very good at making my own choreography."

 

He nodded, and turned to look at Director Lee, who was still studying me closely.

 

"Do you speak ant other languages?" The Director spoke at last. 

 

"I speak fluent Japanese and conversational English and Chinese." His eyebrows rose.

 

"SM thought you this, then?" I shook my head.

 

"No, My Fathers Japanese so i have always spoke both languages in our home. I learnt English in school, and I learned what Chinese I know from the Chinese trainees who i was friends with."

 

Again they all looked at each other and I felt like they were talking through they looks and Immediately felt uncomfortable. Finally, Director Lee gave slight nod and turned towards me with a other smile.

 

"Thank you for your time, Kim Eun HaeMi. We'd be honoured to take you on here at TS." He offered. 

 

I stared at him, dumbstruck. 

 

"Just like that?" I blurted out, before regretting my harshness. "Sorry, it's just... When I auditioned for SM it was a really long process." I apologised. 

 

Director Lee waved my apology away.

 

"That's because this isn't a formal audition. You're twenty, am I correct?" 

 

"Yes, I'm twenty one next year"

 

"Then we don't need your parents permission." He chuckled. "If you'd like time to consider our offer, I understand, but otherwise... We can sign the paperwork today, if you like?"

 

I hesitated.

 

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, because I am honestly very thankful for this opportunity... But being twenty now, as you can understand I am a little wary. I'm not sure I can handle another five or six years as a Trainee."

 

I fell like an idiot for voicing my fears, but Director Lee just looked amused.

 

"Not at all, that's completely understandable." He nodded. "That's why we don't want to take you on as a trainee." 

 

"Eh?" I mumbled. "Then... What do you want to sign me as? A backing singer? Dancer?"

 

Either I'd be alright with. They were a paying job, after all, and I'd be doing what I liked best. Performing. 

 

Both Shin Yeon and Me Davis chuckled, and I felt my cheeks burn. Had I said something amusing?

 

"Nothing like that." Director Lee assured me. "Actually... We have a place for you in a new group were hoping to debut next year, if you're interested."

 

I blinked at him, stunned.

 

"You... You want me to debut?" I repeated. He nodded. "Next year?" Another nod. "In a group?" Again a nod. "I don't believe this! Yes, she's of course I'll sign!" I smiled, surprising even myself.

 

I didn't smile often, but I truly couldn't help myself.

 

The others faces lit up with my reaction and Director Lee clapped his hands pleased.

 

"Perfect! Right this way to my office, Kim Eun HaeMi and we'll get your contract with us signed.

 

I honestly couldn't believe this. Finally, I was being given the chance to debut! This was almost too good to be true!

 

 

 

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"Right, the papers are all signed. Do you have any questions?" Director Lee asked, passing the contract to his secretary to be copied. 

 

She hurried from the room quickly, leaving myself and the Director in his office. 

 

"I'd like to know more about my debut." I admitted, eying his walls of trophies. They were all for SECRET and even a fair few for B.A.P. 

 

"Ah yes, I thought you'd be curious about that." He chuckled, taking a seat behind his huge magnolia desk. He gestured towards the one opposite. "Please, seat."

 

I sat down quickly, eager to hear what he had to say,

 

"Like I mentioned before you signed, I do plan to debut you next year in a four members group we have yet to name. We have the three other girls already, we had a fourth too, until... Well, until we began rehearsing for the album and released that she just didn't work. We have been pushing the trainees for weeks trying to find a replacement but then you sent in your tape. You, of course, were perfect." 

 

"So I'm replacing somebody else?" I spoke after a slight pause. 

 

"Yes." Director Lee answered simply. "Im Yoon-Jae was cut from the group because her vocals just weren't powerful enough to fit in with the group dynamic. So, we needed another member, and here you are." He smiled.

 

"How long did they practice with Yoon-Jae?" I asked suspiciously. I was beginning to get a bad feeling about all of this.

 

"Around six weeks. We had begun to record the album a little bit, that was the title track you were dancing too during the audition. Problems with her vocals were coming to light then. She just couldn't hit the notes needed, but you have proven with your audition that you can bit the notes needed."

 

"So the girls are all close them, I take it." Finally Director Lee seemed to understand what I was trying to find out.

 

"All of the girls have known each other the durations of their times as trainees."

 

"Ah man." I sighed. "It's gonna be hard joining a group that's already so close. I'm assuming they were friends with Yoon-Jae too, then?"

 

"Min-Ae was, I know that." He puzzled. "They were roommates in their dorm, but Min-Ae understands Yoon-Jae couldn't just stay in the group because they were best friends. She's really level headed."

 

"Right..." I mumbled. "And how old are the others?" I'd hate to be the Unni.

 

"Not much younger than you. Lae-Ri is the youngest, she's sixteen, Min-Ae is nineteen and Ohari is twenty one." So I wasn't the youngest, then. "Lae-Ri is co vocals, ands though not as powerful as you at singing, her voice has a very distinctive quality. Ohari is our rapper whilst Min-Ae is one heck of a dancer, and singer for that matter. Her vocals are very lovely, too. She was almost the main singer, though her control and power can't match yours." He chuckled. 

 

"So a very well rounded group." I voiced allowed. "What will be the groups style?"

 

"Music wise... We're hoping to aim for a bit of a mixture of hip hop and pop rock. Think... B.A.P mixed with F(x)" it was, quite frankly, difficult to picture. "Style wise for you ladies... Well, we're not entirely sure on that, yet. We will get a better idea once we see you all together. You're all so different." He noted thoughtfully. 

 

"Is that a good thing?" I frowned. 

 

"We're not sure." He admitted. "You'll have to judge them for yourself, but overall you guys... Well, your very diverse." He mused. 

 

"Super." I murmured, feeling less excited about this by the minute.

 

When he had first mentioned debuting in a group, I had assumed he meant one they were planning, not one that had already formed, gotten to bond - even been practicing their songs together and was suddenly told that one of their members was being replaced. It was difficult to see how I was going to fit in at all. 

 

"Let's go meet them, shall we?" He offered. "I'm sure they will be happy to finally meet their final member." He stood up and headed towards the door and out the hall, with me following some what reluctantly. 

 

Honestly, I couldn't think of a worse time. I was in my sweats, my hair probably ratty and my face still sticky with sweat. I was a mess, hardly prepared to meet three girls who were, I knew without confirmation, going to hate me. 

 

I was, completely unprepared. 

 

 

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AUTHORS NOTE:

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Ooh she meets them next chapter!! :-)