Vocal Training and the Beasty
Trainee
Myoung Jae’s POV
The next morning, I was the first one to arrive at the Zodiac Entertainment offices. Psh, didn’t the CEO say 10 AM Sharp yesterday? It was 9:30 when I arrived, and not even the staff was there. I went to the cafeteria to grab something to drink, and luckily that staff was there. I bought a muffin and started sipping on some coffee. I was playing with my phone when… ugh, I don’t even know what it is sat in front of me.
“What are you?” I said. Was that rude? Yes? Oh, well, it is my opinion after all. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not always rude, I’m actually very nice… but most of the time, rudeness works better than kindness.
“Eh?” The thing looked up. Behind that tangled mess of hair was a girl. And she looked dead.
“Dear, did you look at yourself this morning?” I said, sliding my muffin away from her a bit. She glared at me, her eyes almost closing since they were already swelling.
“This was the best I could do.” She said, still glaring. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. Or, any sleep actually.” I smirked.
“Wanna sleep on my lap?” I said, gaining satisfaction at her eyes growing wide. Not even 5 seconds later, she had them narrowed again.
“ert.” She muttered.
EH? ERT? I am no ert. I don’t ever do anything to anyone! I just like playing around…
Honestly, it may seem like I do what I do just because I’m a player, but I’m not. I actually just don’t want to open up to anyone. In fact, I want people to stay away from me. Just when I was about to yell something in protest, a doe eyed girl walked in.
“Uhm… am I here too early?” she said, almost in a whisper. I gulped. And just stared. What was happening to me?
“What? No smart remark to her?” This beastly girl sitting across from me sneered. I glared at her and cleared my throat. I turned away from the doe eyed girl and talked to the wall.
“Join the club.” Was that too cold? Or .. just the right amount of? Aish, what was I saying? Focus Jae, focus.
She looked at me and nodded. She walked over to the table and… she sat down next to me. What? She wasn’t running away, or staying away from me. I guess she noticed my hostility, because she quietly asked if she could sit, and I nodded. Beasty over here noticed too, because she started cracking up.
“Um.. are you okay?” The girl sitting next to me asked Beasty. Beasty cleared .
“Peachy.” She smiled. “Hi, I’m Sang Hee, what’s your name?” She held out her hand.
“I’m Soolin.” The doe eyed girl said. Soolin. What a pretty name.
“Can I call you Linnie?” Beasty…or Sang Hee… I like Beasty better, said, informally.
“Yah, Beasty, don’t you know it’s rude to talk to people like that?” I said, with a neutral expression on my face.
“WHO ARE YOU CALLING BEASTY?” She yelled at me. I stared at her, shocked.
“It’s fine, I really don’t mind.” Soolin said, smiling. I softened. Yah, Myoung Jae! Are you letting her in? No! Impossible!
“Well I do.” I said, glaring at Beasty.
“Yah, what’s your name anyways?” She said, glaring back.
“Myoung Jae” I said, examining dust under my finger nails.
“I’m calling you Jae.” She asserted. She wasn’t even gonna ask? I was about to yell again when a tiny voice piped up next to me.
“Wah, Jae. That’s such a cool name. Do you mind if I call you Jae?” She said, peering at me with those eyes. I shrugged in indifference. Oh no. What’s going on?
One by one, the trainees started arriving. It was 10:15, and still no teachers. At around 10:45, Miss Lee walked in with her staff behind her.
“Sorry you all,” She said, fanning herself from the walking she did. “I was finalizing some things for your dorms.” Everyone got into some excited chattering.
“Does that mean we’ll move in today?” Beasty yelled. She really doesn’t get this honor thing does she? She’s Korean, was she not taught better?
“Tomorrow.” Miss Lee said, not even looking bothered by her informal talk. Was I the only one bothered by this?
“Now listen up.” Miss Lee said, raising her voice and getting the trainees back in order. “Today will be your last day having only one class. Tomorrow, we will focus on moving you in and getting your schedules out, so bring ALL of your belongings, you’ll be living here from now on.” Schedule? Like… school?
Many groans of protest to the word “schedule” were heard by Miss Lee.
“Protest?” She said, eyeing everybody.
“Well miss,” A blonde boy was pushed to talk by some girls. “It’s just… we thought we would have more freedom with this. It’s training… not school.” He said, looking down.
“Well, Ha Neul is it?” He nodded. “You all want to be the best, don’t you?” There was silence. Silence of approval. “Well, to be the best, you have to work the hardest. All night and all day. So you can prove to me that you’re ready to debut. That you’re ready to be thrown out into the shark tank. So I’m having you work from 7 AM to 7PM, or later if you will, simply for you. It’s not for me. So you all can achieve what you’re here for.” There was complete and utter silence. The look on the teachers’ faces were those of someone extremely impressed.
“Now, if you would follow your vocal coaches to the practice room please.” She said, smiling and straightening out her skirt before she walked away, followed by manager Song.
We followed both teachers, Miss Park MiYoung, and Miss Yang Min Jung. After a short walk, we arrived at the practice room. Miss Yang was the first to speak, and man, did she seem scary.
“Hello students, I am Miss Yang.” Her face was pale, and she was pretty much emotionless. “Now, I know I may seem strict, and that’s because I am. But don’t worry, I am someone you must trust. And emotionless,” She said, looking in my direction. Was she a mind reader too?!? “but that’s because I will train you to keep your emotions in, and release them through song.” We were all watching the younger of the two teachers, who was pacing in the back.
“Hello everyone! My name is Park MiYoung. This is my first official job as a vocal instructor, but much like Miss Yang, I will teach you to harness emotions using your voice!” she said, sliding her side fringe away from her face.
“Miss Yang” Beasty called from behind me. I glared at her in response. Doesn’t she know the term “sunbae”?
“Yes?” Miss Yang said, looking back at her.
“What experience do you have?” She said, innocently.
“Soyeon, Hyorin, Yoseob, Dongwoon, Jieun, Kyuhyun, Yesung, Sungmin, Changmin, Lee Seung Ki, do any of those names sound familiar to you?” She said, calmly. Obviously, we all nodded. Except for Beasty. Boy, was this girl strange. “Well, they didn’t get to where they are today without any help.” I swear I saw a slight smile from Miss Yang.
“Alright, well.” Miss Park began to interrupt. “On my schedule, it says we should start the vocal exercises now, so , everybody on your feet.” On command, we all stood up. Unfortunately, Beasty came to stand next to me.
“Now, today we are going to test your ranges.” Miss Park began, while Miss Yang took the piano.
“What are ranges?” Beasty whispered. How dumb was this girl?
“Don’t you know anything about singing?” I whispered back.
“Nope.” She replied simply.
“What? How’d you get in then?” I whisper yelled.
“By accident.” She said, again, much too simply.
“what?” I said, looking at her incredulously.
“Now, sing along with the piano please.” Miss Yang said. Everyone was in full concentration. She played notes on the piano, to which we then repeated. I looked over at Beasty and she looked lost, but at least she tried. As we got higher, voices seemed to quit, but mine didn’t. On one of the last sets she gave us, someone’s voice cracked. I looked over at Beasty, who was blushing furiously.
Either way, I started cracking up. Followed by everyone else. Miss Yang stood up.
“You can either take their laughter, or you can show them up.” She said, looking Beasty in the eye. Beasty nodded and walked next to the piano. Miss Yang started playing a familiar melody, Mandy Moore’s Only Hope. Certainly even Beasty would know that.
And she did.
And man did she show us up. She sang every note perfectly, with a voice pure enough to break glass. We were all silent after that. Miss Yang smiled again.
“Dismissed.” She said.
Everyone stayed hours later, because after the talk and vocal practice, it was time for dinner. We all lounged around after dinner, but Beasty left in a rush. I wondered why. It couldn’t hurt to check, right? I sneakily followed her out the door.
It was dusk out, and the city signs were about to turn on. Man, Beasty lived in a sketchy neighborhood. She seemed to think so too, since she kept looking around, paranoid.
Her eyes grew wide as a man stepped out of the shadows and sauntered towards her. She backed away slowly.
“Thought you could hide again, Shi Yong?” Shi Yong.. isn’t her name Sang Hee? Either way it couldn’t be good. This man would try to calm her. I don’t know what fiber in my body brought me to do it, but I ran over to her.
“Sang Hee!” I screamed, with false worry on my face. “I was looking all over for you. We’re gonna be late for the movie, let’s go.” I said, wrapping my shoulder around her and walking away quickly with her. Once we were in reasonable distance from where she was, I let go and pushed her away.
“What was that for?!?” She yelled at me.
“You should try saying ‘Thank You’” I murmured. “See you tomorrow Beasty.” I yelled and walked home.
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