~~~~~

Are you alive or are you just existing?

~~~~~

YG paces back and forth in front of all of the YG trainees.

“Yerobeun,” YG instantly gains their attention. “I got back the pictures from the photo shoots.”

Everyone’s heart thunders loudly, all, except one.

“There are two of you that the producers chose to be in a photo shoot for an ad.”

The trainees murmur in excitement.

“But,” YG continues to pace. “Only two of you. No excuses.”

“Who is it?” A trainee asks.

Jun Hee smiles confidently.

No way can Ji-Yung get this one now. This is her turf.

“First, it’s Jun Hee,” YG reads off of a sheet of paper. “But you need to work on a lot of stuff, like your smile. You need to stop looking so fake. You need to have your own style and feel when you’re modeling. All in all, you need to work on modeling.”

Yun Hee’s cheeks reddened, but accept the harsh commentary and nods respectfully.

“The next one is,” YG scans the room. “Ji-Yung.”

“D-deh??”

“There is nothing negative about you here, and everyone loves you, especially the staff,” YG beams in happiness, one action that the trainees didn’t know he has. “You just acted like yourself and everyone loved you for that. Keep up the good work.”

Ji-Yung bows before tackling YG.

“GOMAWO, PAPA YG!!!”

YG chuckles while hugging the young girl, ignoring the blatant stares the trainees are giving them.

“Ahem,” YG puts his arm on Ji-Yung’s shoulder before continuing his announcement. “That is all. Work hard everyone while Jun Hee and Ji-Yung comes with me to my office.”

~~~~~

The walk to the office is silent.

Jung-Hee wants to tell Ji-Yung off, but with the president there, there is no way that that would ever happen.

Ji-Yung on the other hand is elated; though modeling isn’t the first thing she’d want to do.

When they enter, YG sits down and Ji-Yung and Jung-Hee stands an arms’ length away from each other.

YG’s eyes narrow at the huge space between them, but nevertheless, starts to speak.

“I know you are most likely counted each other as rivals, but right now, I don’t care about it. You will either work together, or work alone. If you want to work alone, then so be it. Leave this company because this is a family. We are together, or everything is going to be a mess. Got it?”

“Deh,” Both girls chorus.

“Sorry Papa,” Ji-Yung shrugs as she bows respectfully to YG. “But I don’t count someone below than me as my rival.”

“Excuse me?” Jun-Hee’s head swivels toward Ji-Yung’s direction. “What did you just say? Sajangnim! She just insulted me!”

“No, I didn’t,” Ji-Yung rolls her eyes. “I just told you the truth. If you want to accuse someone, at least accuse them right!”

“Girls,” YG said in a low voice, reprimanding them.

“But Sajangnim! You’re too biased!” Jun-Hee immediately regrets it the minute those words left . Even Ji-Yung looks too shocked to react.

“Jun-Hee,” YG’s voice soft, but firm, echoes around the silenced room. “If I was biased, I would have already released you as a trainee. Even from the beginning. I was the only one who wanted to give you a chance, and you auditioned three times! I’m pretty sure you would rather thank me than accuse me. After all, what would your parents say if they found out about your schemes and greedy acts? What more will they say when they find out that you will never debut?”

Jun-Hee glowers, but she can’t do anything but bow her head down.

“I advise that you should try practicing and trying hard because money isn’t everything. There will always be that one time when you want something so bad that you will never get and not even money can buy you that one time. I can assure you that Ji-Yung will debut before you even if she just got in. You know why?”

Both girls made the right choice of keeping quiet.

“Because she has talent. She doesn’t need to pay anyone because once she debuts, everyone will be craving for her and her talent. While you,” YG shakes his head. “If you keep going down this path, you will just be like Wonder Girls. Just a one-time thing. You won’t be a legend. You won’t be known. So take the initiative of working hard. Now go.”

Ji-Yung and Jun-Hee walks out of the room, still tense.

Of course, Ji-Yung feels partially happy about the commentary, but she did feel a twinge of pity for the latter. Hearing sobs from the girl, Ji-Yung looks down on the marbled floor, contemplating on what to do.

“Jun-Hee,” Ji-Yung calls her.

Jun-Hee stops from walking and tries to even out her breathing, not wanting to give way that she has been crying.

“Since I don’t know you well, I can’t say that you’re a bad person, but knowing your demeanor, trying to act like a even though you might not be one. I promise you, if you don’t stop acting the way you’re acting right now, you will have a hard time trusting people and worst of all, trying to stop acting like a .”

“Stop it!” Jun-Hee screeches, done with all the lectures she received. “Stop trying to act as if you know me!”

“I never was,” Ji-Yung replies calmly, irritating Jun-Hee. “I’m just saying this out of experience. You are wasting you