VOLUME 1 Chapter 5

Challenges

도전

Ji-Eun's POV

A month after the auditions.

As I leave for school, my heart kept on beating with the thought of the results coming out this week. I took a deep breath to encourage myself. Everything will be fine right? No matter what the results are..

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Just about to enter my classroom when YeonHee appeared in front of me out of nowhere. I gasped and "You scared me!" I said. "Sorry. I was just wondering.." she started with his lips pouted and went beside me slowly. "What?" I asked as I faced to my side. "Nothing-- Did you recieve a call already?" she asked quickly and bluntly. 

"uhh.. Not.. yet.." I said. "Why are you so curious about mine?" I raised my eyebrows out of suspicion "Well... not to sound like I'm bragging but.... I recieve the call!" she said and raised her phone infront of my face. "Waah! How envious!" I literally felt jealous.. I wonder how it would feel if I'll actually recieve a call that I got accepted.. 

"I passed the auditions~" YeonHee sang and left me as she went to her seat. -.- She is really.. rather not say it.. I went on my own towards my seat.

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LUNCH

I buried my face on the cafeteria table. "Yah, what's with that mood?" Shanny asked, "I can't stop thinking about the auditions.." I said. "Don't worry about it!" Hyunwoo tried to cheer me up too. "Don't mind me.. just continue.. eating your foods.." I still have my face buried on the table. "Okay then.." Shanny said with full of kimbap. I looked up at her and, "That looks tasty.." I said and sneakily reached for her kimbaps on her lunch box but then she slapped my hand. "You can't eat this unless you cheer up!" Shanny warned. "I can't help it!" I sit up straight. "Just stop thinking about it~" Hyunwoo suggested. "What do you want me to think of then?" I asked. "Simple. That you want these kimbaps." Shanny said and tried make drool over her kimbaps. 

Yummy.... yummy..... "Gimmeeee.." I said and reached out my hands.

"Looks so tasty.." I said and reached to her lunch box. I took one and ate it. "Hmm! This is really good!" I tried to talk with my mouth full. "Of course my mom made it~" she sang. I swallowed it after. "See, you stopped thinking about it." Hyunwoo said. "What?" I asked. Shanny slapped Hyunwoo's shoulder back. "Oww!" he exclaimed. "What was that?" he moaned. "You'll make her think about it again!" she whispered although I can hear her -.- "Arasseo!" Hyunwoo sighed. I'm so glad to have someone care for me like this... I giggled at the sight of them.

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YongHwa's POV

A month has already passed. I'm still like a couch potato staying at home doing nothing. I can't even write songs or whatever music..

I just stayed at home and leave when I needed some stuffs for my needs.. 

Anyways, I'll just rot here in my apartment until I leave to Busan on Monday..

DING DONG

My doorbell rang. I stood up from the couch and I checked who was there and in the screen, the face of my manager appeared.

"YongHwa-yah~ It's me!" he said as he let his face closer to the screen T_T

I went to the door and opened it. "Yong!!--" he paused when he saw me. "Am I in the right room? This does not look the superstar Jung Yong Hwa." he said and looked around. I was not amused. I was about to close the door but then he blocked it. "I was just joking!" he said, "Let me iiin~" he cooed. I opened the door wide, letting him come in. "I brought some groceries from your mother." he said and placed the plastic bag he was carrying on the Kitchen counter. "My mom? When did you meet?" I asked. "We didn't, she said YOU said you were visiting her last month but you didn't appear, so she asked me to buy you these stuffs for you." he said.

Right... I even forgot about going to my REAL home.. "What did you bring?" I asked. "Nothing.. just your favorite kimbap..." he said and placed inside the ref. "No, give it to me!" I said. "No way, we need to talk first. Plus, I just bought this somewhere... It might not taste good" he said and continue to place them inside the refrigerator. I pouted and went to the living room. "YongHwa-yah, I thought you finally woke up after that audition experience last month.." he started. Ugh.. I ignored him and turned the TV on.

After he finished cleaning the stuffs he brought, he went to the living room too. "Your ex seemed to have started MCing in some shows lately.." he said and I ignore him.. "I heard you met her again.." he sat beside me. "Who told you?" I asked and glued my eyes on the TV, avoiding eye contacts with him. "I'm your manager! How would I not know?!" he said and playfully kicked my feet. "Look at you! You look like... an unemployed man." he said and crossed his arms. "What did that girl told you?" I asked. "Nothing.." I said. "Nothing? Would it be nothing seeing you looking like this right now?! and to think you looked really happy after that Dream audition last month and just 2 weeks ago you started to lock yourself in here!" he nagged. 

"Okay!" I shouted to stop him from talking. "She said she's going to marry someone else in 3 months.." I said. There I said it.. AND he finally went quiet. I slowly looked at his face. "See! That's why I didn't want to tell you! You'll give me that look!" I said and looked away. I hate it when he gives me a pitiful look. "YongHwa-yah, It's been a year since she broke up with you. You should start moving on with your life.." he said. "I can't, I don't know how, because when I do, she starts coming in again!" I said and turned the TV off. "If only those rumors didn't broke out.." I said and stood up. "Hyung, you should go now.." I said.

Ji-Eun's POV

DISMISSAL 4:30 PM

No calls at all. Just one call earlier at 3 PM from my mom.. who asked me to buy some vegetables before going home..

Out of the blue, some ringtone started playing. "Whose phone is that?" I asked. "I-It's mine.." Shanny stuttered. "Answer it!" I said. "I'm scared!" she said. "Yah! The only reason they call you is because you got accepted! They won't call if you weren't!" I tried to persuade her to answer. "Right.." she said and nodded. Nervously, she answered it. "Yoboseyo?" she answered. "Ne.. NE! It's me!" she got excited. She went quiet.. "Ne.. Kamsahamnida.." she said and hung up. "So?" Hyunwoo asked. "AAAAAHHH!!!" she shouted. SHE PASSED!! "AAAAAHHH!!" I screamed together with her. Hyunwoo just laughed at us. "Congratulations!" I said and hugged her. "I can't believe it! I'm finally starting something!" she giggled and we continued to hug each other. We broke the hug and laughed.

"Congratz." Hyunwoo smiled at her. "Thanks. I hope you two will be able to get in too.." Shanny said and held our hands.

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At the supermarket again.. Buying veggies for my mother. I don't know to pick good ones but nah..

YongHwa's song started playing in the supermarket. Ugh.. How awesome would it be if I'll get to work with YongHwa.. I took the last vegetable I was ordered to buy, carrots, and placed it in the cart. "There's still 2 days before they end the announcements right? Heads up Lee Ji-Eun!" I said and raised one carrot above my head.

Then there... my phone rung. I frozed when I heard it.

The people around looked at me weirdly because I was petrified while I was raising the carrot above my head. 

"She must be crazy." "What's wrong with her?" "What's with her and that carrot?" "Is she trying to get attention?"

Please.. make it this one.. please..

I nervously placed the carrot in the cart. I took my phone from my pocket and checked the one calling.

UNKNOWN NUMBER. AAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay.. Don't expect too much.. this might not be it yet.. Keep calm....

I answered it after all those, "Yoboseyo?"

"Is this Lee Ji-Eun-ssi?" someone asked. "Ne! It's me!" I got excited. THIS IS REALLY-- "We have to inform you that your mother was sent to the hospital.." 

"NE!! Kam-" I shouted but then... I realized. "Wait... what?" my mood went really down like DOWN. "Who is in the hospital?" I asked. In the background I heard my younger brother. "Ahjussi! I'll take it!" my brother's voice...

"Noona! Palli! Mom is in the hospital!" he said.

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I quickly ran leaving my cart behind and left the market.

I quickly searched for a taxi.

I ran towards the entrance of the hospital.

"Excuse me, Was there someone named Lee Da Ran who was admitted here an hour ago?" I asked the nurse. "Ah neh, she's at the ER. that way." she said pointed me to where the ER was.

I went inside the curtains. "Noona!" My little brother hugged me. "Ji-Eun-ah.." my mom was conscious. "What happened?!" I panicked. "She passed out after finding out that grandma is admitted at the hospital in Busan.." my brother said. "What? Halmeoni?" I was out of words. "So mom has no serious disease?" I asked. "Sorry, I worried you, I was too shocked after hearing the news.. She used to be so healthy and now she is currently being diangosed with dementia.." mom said. I sighed. "Don't worry too much.." she said and smiled.

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YongHwa's POV

I started packing my stuffs. Since I am leaving on Monday to my hometown, Busan.

My doorbell rung again. I heard someone banging it from the outside. "YongHwa-yah! Open this door!!" I can hear my manager T_T..

I don't want to let him in right now. "You really think I don't know your passcode do you?" he threatened me. Yeah right.. I then heard my door unlock. O_O

I paused on what I was doing. "YAH! You brat!" he appeared in my room. "I heard from Kim PD that you decided to stop being an idol!" he shouted. "Let me be.. It's my life.." I said and closed my luggage.  "YAH! Are you leaving?!" he shouted, "How stupid can you be?!" he threw a punch at my face. "Wake up from that nightmare of yours! You need to live! Your fans, family, me and even Jimin is waiting for you to move on!" he shouted. Jimin is waiting?.. I touched my lips and I felt something warm and watery.. blood. What's his deal?

"She told you about the marriage so you could wake up and know that the past is never going back! That she can never go back together with you!" he shouted. "How would you know how I feel?!" I shouted back. I got pissed hearing that, I placed the luggage on the floor loudly. "YongHwa-yah.. I know.. I know how you feel, everyone knows how you feel.. Just don't leave, please unpack your stuffs and stay---" he said. "Hyung! I'm not leaving Seoul! I'm just staying in Busan for the whole week next week.. aish.." I cursed as I wiped the blood using my collar. "oh.. I-I thought.. You sh-should have told me.... J-just.. Rethink about your actions before you nullify your contract.. o-okay?" he said and left my apartment with an embarassed look on his face.. pfft.. but I'm still angry at how he said all of that to my face.. -.- 

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Mom was immediately discharged after half an hour. They just told us that she should not be stressed too much and to let her drink plently of water.

We arrived at home. They went inside but I didn't follow them. I stayed outside..

I got really worried right there.. I thought my mom had something serious going on.. On the other hand, I am still waiting for the call...

I took a deep breath and looked at the stars.

YongHwa's POV

I stared at my guitar. Should I really stop?.. I lost my passion already.. I feel like I can't move forward and I have no destination..

"Appa... What should I do?" I talked to myself. I literally am unable to start anything.

Ji-Eun's POV

I started to walk towards our door when my phone rung. It was just 9 in the evening..

This should not be it right?.. I took my phone and it was an unknow number. "Yoboseyo?" I answered it.

"Miss Le Ji-Eun?" A female's voice. "Ne, It's me." I said and paused from my walk. "Congratulations! You have passed the dream auditions!" she said. I was left speechless. "Lee Ji-Eun-ssi?" she tried to call me again. "NE! Kamsahamnida!!" I was so thankful she called!! "You are asked to go the company building on Monday to officially start your training." she said formally. "Ne! I will!" I said.

"EOMMA!!" I shouted as I went inside the house.

"EOMMA!" I spotted my mom with my brother in the living room. "Eomma! I--" I paused when they look at me with a long face.

"W-what's wrong?" I asked with my smile slowly sloughing off. "Ji-Eun-ah... I decided that we should move back to Busan.." mom said. "EH?" I took a step back. "I can't just let my mother be taken care of some other people.. She has dementia and I need to take care of her.." she said. "But... Eomma... I passed.. the auditions.. I'm a trainee now.." I said. "I'm really sorry.." she said. I was dumbfounded. My tears started filling up by eyes.. I know it's selfish to think of staying here and let someone else take care of grandma but... this has been long dream! I just can't let it go like that!

I ran towards my room because I can't let my mom see me cry.

"Ji-Eun-ah!!" "Noona!" They called me..

I went on my bed. This can't be.. I've finally got the hold of my dream and now this?.. Is God testing me? I've always wanted this oppurtunity like forever! I can't..

I started sobbing and I burried my face on my pillow. I started sobbing.. "What should I do?" I said with some sobbing in the middle.

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HEHE this chapter is a little dramatic hehe.. well... this the end of Volume 1 :3.. excuse my grammar T^T

next is... Volume 2 Chapter 1: First steps 

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