~ Ryeowook’s POV ~

I shyly followed one of the staffs as she toured me around the studios before I began my first training. Right after I got the approval of my parents, I went to Seoul to try and audition for SM. Well, I did got in easily with my voice and now I am so eager to develop my skills more. I heard that they also give lessons in composing and I will make sure to attend those.

"This is where vocal lessons were held. I'm sure you would want to take a look at it since you're obviously a vocalist," she said pointing to the studios in front of us. I took a peek and I saw someone practicing singing inside. That's when I heard him humming the tune of the song to himself. He must be a trainee I thought to myself.

"Do I get to train with other people here? When will I meet them?" I asked innocently. She chuckled lightly which intimidated me a bit.

"You will, if there will be more kids to audition. Or rather if the company will accept more trainees. Right now the trainees left were either set to debut in a project group soon or just he newbies like that one," she said pointing at the boys inside the studio. "I guess you haven't heard that many trainees left these past years. They probably gave up waiting for their own time and decided to switch companies."

I wondered how long I will also wait for mine. Maybe it would take years since I'm still young. But I would surely make my training time worth it by learning more about music.

"You're lucky there is only few trainees around at this time. You could get the studios by yourself sometimes," she said. "I 've seen how messy when there are many kids, the trainers were going crazy."

Then she lead me to the rest of the studios in the building and after an hour of touring she finally let me go by myself. "Go on, you can start now. I've heard you sing in your audition and I'm a big fan of voice," she said giving me a thumbs up.

"Thank you," I mumbled while bowing to her. Now I'm left alone I became anxious. I hate being alone despite being an only child. I decided to go back to the studio I saw before and maybe I could practice my vocals.

And there I saw him again. The same boy who was singing before. Since there are no other person with him I went inside. I walked silently and began to admire the studio. There is a piano in the middle of the room and I smiled to myself. Sometime I could play it when they allowed me.

And I almost forgot to acknowledge the presence of the other boy. I bowed to him despite of the obvious fact that I am older than him. Perhaps a year or two. He spent longer time here so I had to show respect and also to everyone since I'm new.

"Hi. Do you mind if I share the room with you?" I asked carefully. He looked at me and I could actually imagine myself being nervous if he rejected my offer. I'm not really good at talking to strangers.

"It's okay," he smiled and I felt relieved. There was a long silence after that and I didn't know if I will start a new conversation with him. I looked around the room until my eyes fell on the piano again. I think its weird if I just start singing right there so I wondered what I will do first.

"Do you play the piano?" he asked again. Actually I'm glad that he was the one initiating the conversation.

"Yup, its the instrument I play the most," I replied as I sat down on the small chair beside the piano.

"Really? Then can you play something for me? I'll sing if you want," he requested like a little kid.

"Am I allowed to touch it? And what song would it be?" I asked totally tempted to do his request.

"Anyone can use it. And you can choose any song, I'm okay with that," he said. With that I faced the instrument and tried to remember the melody of the song from the soundtrack of my favorite drama. I just hope that he knows it. I played the piano and after a minute he began to recognize the song and sing it with me.

He has a good deep voice and I can see why he got in here when they are really picky in choosing trainees. His voice perfectly fits ballads the most but I don’t know, maybe he can also do other genres. You will only find yourself be surprised by the hidden talents of everyone. I closed my eyes and felt the melody. This is how I enjoy listening to good songs.

“Wow, your voice is great! Have you been training for long?” I asked him once I finished playing.

He blushed faintly at the praise. “I just got here a few months ago. But I did start singing when I was younger but not always.”

“Hmmm… You could do better if you train more. It’s good that your parents allowed you here,” I said.

“I promised them I would continue to do well in my studies in exchange for this,” he grinned. I bet he is really happy that he got their acceptance. “By the way, I had sung for you and I still don’t know your name. I’m Lee Jinki,” he said offering his hand.

I returned the gesture and shook his hands. “Kim Ryeowook.”

“You’re older than me right? I could always sense when someone is older than me,” he said. I laughed at his statement.

“How could you guess that? I’ve always concealed my age through my height! It’s the only advantages I see because everyone thinks I’m young,” I said still laughing.

“You’re young but I’m younger,” he said also laughing and then he stopped but there is still a hint of smile on his face. “Can I call you hyung?”

“Huh? Is it okay? I mean, you’re my senior here,” I said still minding about formalities. I know its manners to give respect to my seniors.

“I never cared about it, although I respect my own seniors. And, isn’t it awkward to be formal with someone who is younger than you?” he offered.

“Well, then call me hyung from now on. I don’t have a sibling so perhaps you’re the first one to call me that,” I agreed. I saw him smile in relief. Maybe he was afraid I’d reject his offer but who am I to do that? I am so eager to make friends with others here so that I can also enjoy my trainee years while waiting for my own debut. And now I wouldn’t wander around the building by myself.

*              *              *

[ August. One month before pre-debut showcase]

~ Eunhyuk’s POV ~

“Why do I have to join you guys in that awfully hard choreography?” Yesung hyung complained for the nth time since the day we decided to do this dance for our upcoming pre-debut showcase. Its actually different from the dance that we have been practicing since January.

“Hyung, you’re a member in this group. You must be with us,” I said calmly. I’m too tired to come up with a smart answer since it has been hours that I am helplessly watching him catch up with the dance steps. Hyung is a very good singer and he can perfect a song which he only heard for the first time. But that dancing is a different story for him. Its not that he can’t catch the steps, he knows it but the way he dances …it’s funny. Perhaps its okay if it is a happy song but this is a different genre. He needs to act cool.

“Okay. Okay. I’m trying, look I think I got better than the first time right?” he asks.

“Why do I always feel like laughing when you try to act cool hyung?” I sighed.

“Maybe we could make it funnier, I will help!” Shindong suggested. We were both here to practice with Yesung hyung this afternoon. The others were either at school or doing something else.

“No thanks hyung,” I sighed. We need to do it seriously because the representatives would be definitely watching us. Its our first public performance showing our skills and we should be showing them that we are worthy to debut.

“Okay, but you should take a rest. Both of you. Nothing will come better if you’re both exhausted already,” he said. “Do you like to eat?”

“Now that you’ve said it, I feel that my stomach is already starving,” Yesung said. “Let’s take a break?”

“You can go both of you.  I’ll stay here, I have something to do. Come back here hyung when you’re done,” I replied. Actually I’m saving my allowance since I’m not yet earning money on my own. Though the company gives us shelter and food in the dorm, anything we do outside is not included to that benefit.

“Go ahead hyung. I just ate before I went here,” Shindong excused himself. Yesung hyung grabbed his backpack and went to the cafeteria downstairs.

“Wow. Hyung, did you just refused to eat? What’s wrong with you? Are you sick?” I teased knowing that hyung will never refuse when it comes to food.

“No. I really ate a while ago. And maybe I need to lose some weight if I need to make a good impression on our debut,” he said looking a little bit serious than the usual. “I don’t know if there will be a good reaction when the public sees me. What if I pull the group down?”

Its my first time hearing him voicing out his insecurities. He seems to be a jolly person when I first met him and I thought nothing bothered him. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he tells manager hyung about his frustrations. Maybe he confides with Leeteuk hyung whom he had gotten close in a short time.

"Don't think about that. You're here because you deserved to be here with us. We need someone to cheer us up when Heechul hyung gets cranky. And I can get impatient when teaching them the dance steps... so maybe you can help me," I tried to lift his spirits up.

"Thanks... sometimes I don't know if I belong here since I haven't spent a long time with all of you. I still feel awkward with some of you," he revealed.

"Well, I don't feel awkward with you hyung," I smiled. "Who do you feel awkward with? Siwon-ssi?"

"We're not so close but I don't feel that with him... but I don't know how to get along with Kibum. He's too quiet that I'm afraid I will run out of topics to talk with him," he said.

"Hmmm... I sometimes feel that. He is too serious but he is really close with Heechul which I envy," I replied. This seems a surprise to him as he turned to me with a confused face.

"You're not in good terms? I thought all of you were so close at this stage?" he asked shocked.

"I don't know, but we never talked seriously. I haven't conversed with him with just the two of us. What do you think about that?"

"It seems you're awkward. Have you ever fought with him?"

"Not yet. I try to be patient especially to him. He's a hyung after all," I said wondering whether my patience will run out one day. We have been living together for