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[ 2011 ]
THE LIGHTS WERE DIM IN THE LARGE RESTAURANT. Investors from all over were present, speaking with the acts underneath the company. Aera was only a few minutes late, trailing in behind her manager and a makeup artist who was asked to accompany them. Her light brown hair was long and curled, framing her heart shaped face. She wore a red dress that shimmered under the chandeliers and hugged every curve of her body. "There she is!" a soloist she recognized as Jinwoo cheered upon noticing her arrival.
Heads turned in her direction. Many eyes followed her every, little move. She felt as if she was under a microscope, though that feeling had quickly become recognizable ever since she joined the company. "Hello," she greeted the CEO of GT Entertainment, Gong Tae-sung. He smiled down at the girl with kind eyes, however she felt nothing but uncomfortable. Too many times has she heard him speak ugly toward his artists. "I see you're still working on your time management skills." His tone was cold, the complete opposite of the smile on his face. She gulped.
His large hand cupped her bare shoulder for only a split second before it fell to plant on her back. "Go. Speak with people." He gave her a light nudge, one that had her teetering on her toes. The heels she was forced into weren't helping, either. Her manager, a middle aged woman who still looked extremely youthful, glared toward the man. "Come along, Aurora." And she did. She followed her manager without a single word, shyly ducking her head as she passed many powerful figures in the industry. "That man and his ego," the older woman tsked. She snatched a flute of champagne from the oncoming waiter's tray.
Aurora was still young. She wasn't legally allowed to touch alcohol or be out so late, and yet there she was. She stood still, knees trembling, eyes wide with fear and anxiety. "That man over there is our biggest investor," Miss Choi began, using the rim of her flute to point out the greying old man. Aurora looked toward her caretaker in curiosity. "He prefers speaking with our female artists. He can get handsy, but it won't hurt you." A lump started swelling in the back of her throat. "B–But why do I have to talk to them?" she asked shyly.
Miss Choi tipped back her champagne flute and swallowed the majority of the drink. She sighed at the cool liquid. "Because, Aurora, you're the next big thing. We have big plans for you, but those plans won't happen without your help." She seemed bored. Almost like she had had the same conversation with people before, and yet Aera couldn't recall hearing it before. "I train hard... I'm on the diet," she argued still. Her eyes would flicker from the women before her to the men talking just a few feet away. "I don't want to talk to them.."
A click sounded in her manager's jaw. Her head whirled around to face the small girl, disbelief on her features. "We've done so much for you, little girl, and yet you cannot repay us with this one simple task? We've been raising you, treating you like our own child." Aera felt herself shrink back in fear. Her eyes were cast downward, unable to meet Miss Choi's glare. "If you do not want to succeed, then walk out. Leave right now. We don't want an artist who won't do what they can to get to the big league."
Aurora closed her mouth as she was unable to think of another excuse. She could always pretend to faint, like she had practiced too hard and she just overworked herself. Or she could fake being sick. But would those excuses work or would they cause even more trouble for her. "Here. This should help." A glass was forced into her hand, some of the cold liquid spilling over her fingers. She opened her mouth to refuse, but the glare she received from her superior was enough to make her compliant. And she drank it; every last drop.
It slipped down her throat and invaded her stomach with its tingly touch. She coughed a bit, brows pinched in distaste. "Feel the confidence," Miss Choi hummed, patting the girl's head. Her hand slid through her hair before planting firmly on her back. She shoved her, softer than the CEO, but still hard enough to have her stumbling on her feet. Her stomach was doing flips. Sweat built up on her palms. She glanced toward her manager with pleading eyes, but only received a pushing motion before she turned away. "Seriously?" Aera whispered to herself.
She huffed softly, lips now pouted. But she moved closer and closer until she stood right behind the older gentleman. "Ex–Excuse me," she spoke up, her voice small and meek. Two heads turned in her direction, aged eyes landing on her small frame. "Hello. You must be the latest trainee." He smiled down at her, a warm contrast to the cold feeling in her bones. "Yes, sir," she replied. The man with salt and pepper hair turned fully toward her, now ignoring his comrade. "And... how old are you?" The question seemed innocent enough. Her eyes widened slightly before forcing the word from her mouth, "Sixteen."
That warm smile turned sour as he nodded to her words. A large hand was placed gently onto her shoulder, thumb running along her bare skin. "Good," he replied, a strange twinkle now in his eye. "Why don't we talk for a little while?"
—
rumi says!
sorry if this was a little confusing, but this is a flashback to when she trained at her last company. she was super young and impressionable and after receiving the threats from her anonymous texter, she's really going through it.
i hope you guys are enjoying trauma. thank you so much for the love! ❤️
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