Josephine Swan never imagined that her stay in South Korea would lead her into K-Pop's glittering and challenging world. Each day, she encounters new hurdles and adventures that fate has in store for her and her four team members. Between gruelling...
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It was as if the world had stood still for that moment.
I didn't feel the ground beneath my feet. Didn't feel the cold spring wind that blew several small wisps into my face. The traffic outside the compound, the sounds surrounding us. Birds, wind, horse whinnies, nor my breath disappeared into a silent world. For the moment, it was just me and Yang Hyun-suk, whom I could only look at in silence. I didn't know how long we stood there in silence. It could only have been seconds, if not minutes, yet my eyes began to burn with time.
And the next moment I was back in the here and now.
I blinked several times against the fresh wind and moistened my burning eyes with liquid again. The numbness in my body disappeared and I felt solid ground under my feet again. I could hear the horses neighing around me again and the sound of cars driving far away in a big city. While the shock in my body was slowly being processed, Yang Hyun-suk was still standing silently in front of me with a serious expression on his face. His lips were drawn into a thin line, his dark brown eyes fixed intently on me.
"Excuse me...but...I don't think I understood you correctly you...you...want to sign me? Me? With YG Entertainment?". I stammered blinking and stumbling over my spoken words. A twitch of the corner of my mouth was the response from my counterpart.
"No. You heard me correctly, Miss Swan.".
"I'm sorry..but...I'm just trying to understand...how...why..." I closed my eyes and tried in vain for the right words. Yang Hyun-suk noticed my inner struggle.
"I want to sign you because I believe you have talent. Even though you may not see it yourself, my entertainment sees potential in you. Potential that can be developed with the right training. Provided...you accept my offer." he explained.
Stunned, I looked at him. My hands were trembling.
"Understand...I...my experience in the K-pop industry is limited to a few hours, not days, weeks or even years. The first time I sang was a little over a month ago at a karaoke bar. I'm not even Korean myself, let alone a member of Asian society." I brought it out.
"And yet...you have caught my interest," said Yang Hyun-suk, tapping his finger on the flash drive in his hand.
"And not only my interest! You are now the attention of two members of one of South Korea's biggest K-pop groups." He replied, indirectly addressing Ji-yong and Seungri. I glanced at the flash drive in his hand and couldn't believe what a simple recording could turn into. It was turning into an unplanned mess.
"You don't have to be Korean to pursue a career in the K-pop industry, Miss Swan. And you may not have as much experience as most...however, you possess the talent necessary to acquire that experience. I can already tell by how well you understand and speak our language by now," he continued. I stroked my hair with a trembling hand and then grabbed my forehead.
"I am aware that my offer must come as a great surprise to you. It is not a normal approach for me either to make such an arrangement with a potential future trainee. Normally there are various selection procedures in which the girls and boys are picked out," he understandably explained to me. He pointed to the card.
"You have three days to think it over, Miss Swan. If you decide to accept my offer, we will arrange a suitable date to clear the formalities. I am aware of your minority, which is why both your parents must be informed of the contract.".
Still speechless, I looked at him. The words formed in my mouth, however, none of them came out. With one last narrow glance at me, the CEO of YG Entertainment nodded and turned his back to me. My head was pounding and I completely forgot to say goodbye to him with a bow. With my mouth slightly open, I gazed after him until he finally turned to me one last time.
"I think...I don't need to tell you that this opportunity will not come around a second time for you, Miss Swan! Make the most of the three days!" he said and disappeared from my sight.
♛
"Can any of you tell me what to do now?" I asked desperately, pacing frantically up and down my room. Ahri and Jihe were both sitting on my bed, watching me jump around my room like a caged animal. Still holding Yang Hyun-suk's card in my trembling hands.
"I still can't believe the CEO of YG Entertainment made you an offer in person," Ahri said, stroking her long hair as Jihe nodded in agreement. She adjusted her glasses and looked at me.
"I think you should take him up on his offer, Josie. It's a great opportunity and rare. Normally, trainees are subjected to rigorous selection processes before they are even accepted into entertainment. And YG Entertainment is one of the big three entertainment companies." she said and I just shook my head at her answer.
"None of this should be happening! The recordings...the recordings should not turn into something uncertain for my future!" I said.
"The future is always uncertain, Josie! We all make choices at certain points in our lives that we will end up blessed with or regretting. The crucial point is..." retorted Ahri.
"...You won't find out if you don't at least try!" finished Jihe, looking at me urgently. Silently, I looked at both of them and finally dropped to the floor, sighing. The map fell to the floor beside me and I clasped my hands to my forehead. My two roommates then fell silent, watching me wordlessly as I struggled internally with myself on the floor. I brushed my hair out of my face and my eyes met the map.
"What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself, staring at the map.
