You are interrupted during a morning lesson by your vocal coach but, instead of receiving praises or complaints, they tell you your presence is needed elsewhere. You have your own suspicions on what it is about but you keep yourself quiet. Maybe it was because you were nervous, or maybe your coach told you to keep quiet whenever you tried speaking. As you draw closer to Katie Lee’s office your suspicions start growing stronger. However, before you’ve reached the office, your coach turns towards a room on your right and tells you to take a seat.
The woman sitting at the table isn’t your CEO, but one you know holds a strong position in the company. Once you sit down, she gives you a smile. “Hello, Hyeri. I’m glad to see you here today.” You can’t tell if she’s sincere with her greeting, yet you keep paying attention regardless. “As you must be aware of by now, we have been preparing a very special pre-debut company project. After much thought, we’ve decided your long-time dedication, growth, and talent should award you the fifth spot in KTROOKIES.”
She leans to the side to take a file out from inside her purse and places it right in front of you. “In here is your full preparation schedule with everything you need to worry about. Your introduction video will be the fifth upload of a sub-channel under the KTROOKIES name, and you’ll also have a photoshoot to have your pictures displayed on KT’s official website.” The dates and details are all listed on the file for your future reference. “You won’t need to make up any normal training you miss when you’re called upon for KTROOKIES, so you won’t need to worry about that.”
Once she finishes her prepared speech, the woman relaxes. “I hope you’re excited for this. It’ll be a long ride.”
rumor mills were usually just that, rumors, but hyeri remembers all too well the hopeful nervousness she’d felt when submitting her idea for her debut video all those months ago. could it really be happening this time? trainees were always kept in the dark about these things; despite one’s hope rising when a project was announced, it usually proved inevitable that disappointment would come when time stretched on without any updates. who knew what happened behind the scenes or what was being planned around them? trainees who asked about such things were usually quieted immediately and, judging by this mysterious trip, she isn’t going to be any different. when hyeri glances curiously at the vocal coach leading the way, there’s a forbidding look in the other’s eyes that tell her silently that her questions wouldn’t be welcomed. small talk, too, is pointless but hyeri dares it anyway, pointing out to the coach that she thinks “she doesn’t sound as flat in lessons these days.”
( it’s somewhat true, anyway. )
once inside the office, the door closes behind hyeri with a quiet ‘click’. she takes the seat that the trainer bids her to, however, the simple action doesn’t quell the sudden fluttering inside her chest as the dancer meets the eyes of the woman sitting across the desk. rumors flood her mind again and hyeri feels her palms getting clammy as she listens to the woman speak.
‘special pre-debut company project.’
‘we’ve decided… the fifth spot in KTROOKIES.’
amazing, really, how easy it is to forget how to breathe. hyeri chokes up audibly, and goes uncharacteristically silent as the reality hits her hard with all that this means. she’s going to be a public trainee – she’s going to be known. it’s something hyeri’s always wanted, had felt envious of taeyeon and tiffany and the others who could be recognized on the street sometimes, or in photos online. and the photos – once the video aired to reveal her, this meant she could post openly on twitter about tiffany and her other company friends!
excitement has hyeri visibly vibrating as she nods eagerly to the woman’s words. “i’ll do my best!” she agrees enthusiastically. it might still be a ‘pre-debut’ project but hyeri accepts that she doesn’t care about semantics in the least; this is yet another step in the right direction. it’s one step closer towards her bigger dream happening at last. “i’ll make the company proud,” she promises aloud, her brown eyes misting with undeniable tears of happiness. “thank you, thank you!”
