Trainee Days

*Chapter 2*

Chapter 2

Mr. Bang's office was smaller than Jimin thought it would be. It was somewhat dark, but in a way that made it feel cozy rather than cramped. He looked around awkwardly as he took a seat in the chair Mr. Bang gestured to, while Hyeonjun continued to stand in the doorway. There were folders and papers strewn over the large desk in front of Jimin, and a bookshelf to the side held more CDs and records than books.

As Jimin settled into the chair, Mr. Bang looked up and smiled. "Good morning! Glad you could join us today ... Park Jimin." There was a slight pause as he quickly glanced at the folder in front of him to read Jimin's name, but Jimin didn't mind. He was still here, and Mr. Bang had still said his name.

Jimin smiled brightly, his eyes almost closing with the width of his grin. "It's an honor, sir. I'm very happy to be here."

Mr. Bang nodded, seeming satisfied with the response. "I always like to meet the new trainees. Of course, I've seen your audition tapes and whatnot, but it's always good to put a face to the name in person. So, let's get down to business, shall we?"

Jimin nodded slowly, unsure of what business he was referring to, until he realized Mr. Bang was waiting for a verbal reply. "Oh, um... yes, sir."

"Now, we have a few things in the works here at Big Hit. Most importantly, we're preparing a group that we hope to debut soon. Well, within the next year or so. Of course, that's a very short time to train, but some of my managers think you might be up for a spot. It will take a lot of hard work and dedication, but I'm sure you can manage if you try hard enough."

Jimin nodded eagerly, hanging on Mr. Bang's every word. It was only his first day, and already the CEO was talking about debuting. The thought sent a tremble through him.

"Now, you'll have some competition, of course. No one's spot is secure until they actually debut, but I want to see if you have what it takes. Hyeonjun here can tell you all about it."

Jimin's chest tightened at the mention of competition. He knew it was a huge part of trainee life, but he never liked the idea of competing for something like this—or really, competing for anything. He just wanted everyone to get along and do their very best. Of course, he always wanted his best to be the best, but that was another issue entirely.

He glanced back at Hyeonjun, hoping for some reassurance, but Hyeonjun only stood there with a smile plastered on his face. Then another thought entered Jimin's mind.

"Um... Mr. Bang, sir," Jimin spoke up quietly. "What kind of group are you planning on making?"

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Hip-Hop?!

Jimin left Mr. Bang's office feeling a little overwhelmed. How was he supposed to prove himself good enough to be part of a hip-hop group? He didn't know anything about hip-hop. He danced contemporary. He did ballet! And what was it Mr. Bang said about learning to rap? He tried to picture himself rapping, but the thought made him cringe.

Hyeonjun spoke, startling Jimin, "Don't worry about what he said in there." 

 "Pardon?" Jimin asked, he had almost forgotten Hyeonjun was walking beside him while he was lost in his worries. Which was crazy! How could he forget about the inhuman beauty right in front of him?

"You just seem a little stressed. Don't worry. He says that sort of thing to everyone to push them to work hard. You probably won't even debut with this group. Most trainees train for at least two to three years before considering a debut. It's not a big deal if you don't make this one. There will be others that might be better suited for you." Hyeonjun's tone seemed aimed at comforting Jimin, but instead, it made him feel like Hyeonjun didn't think he had a chance.