Worlds Apart - Taekook - Book 2

Chapter 215 - Time Together

A round table littered with food, dozens of dishes scattered, with just enough room for drinks. The restaurant was buzzing as the thrum of V.I.P patrons enjoyed the exclusive Japanese cuisine.

"This time last week we were at Neverland." Namjoon reminds the group.

"I've barely sat down this week. I'm glad Em's been away because we wouldn't have spent any time together."

"What's going on at EGO then?" Jimin asks.

The four friends ate and drank, managing to spare a couple of hours together after throwing around too many dates to mention before they all could agree.

"I'm working on a smooth pathway for those who come to me but would be better off at Gravity. Before I'd have just turned them away because it is apparent at interviews and auditions, who is there because they want to be and have parents backing them financially. Being involved with Safe Haven and Gravity means I've had to consider different criteria and offer them something other than EGO."

"How's that going down though? If a parent and kid have chosen EGO and you're suggesting something else, that's got to piss them off?" Jin asks honestly.

"Especially given some of the families you're dealing with." Joon adds.

Jimin picks his glass up, "That would be like me suggesting a client looks for a dress in Lotte... no?"

"I get that, it's easy to understand a parent getting irritated when they're throwing money at making their kid's dream come true and they think that by paying for the best it'll make a star out of them but it's not so simple and I have to tell them that. You can't just pay for the drive to succeed. Look at us here, we are all successful because we work fucking hard. No one's parents paid for you to be a supermodel, Jin. You are where you are because you wanted it and did everything you could to get there. Same with dance. Some of the kids I see, don't want to be there or can't dance at all but parents think by paying for classes it'll all be fine and it won't."

Jimin nods, "So how does the honesty go down?"

Hobi pulls a face that says 'yikes'. "As well as you think it would. It's worse when the kid can't dance at all but I don't have a magic wand and EGO isn't Hogwarts."

Namjoon shuffles in his seat and looks at Hobi, "Okay... so... you've got a parent and kid sitting in front of you. You've already auditioned the kid, right?" Hobi nods to agree so Namjoon continues, "why would you offer them Gravity instead of EGO? Is there a criteria? Give me a scenario."

"The options depend on the audition, obviously. They go through several rounds of auditions, one round is me teaching them some choreo and they have twenty minutes to prepare. This tells me more than anything else, to be honest. I also watch the footage they send me. Part of the application process is a five minute video. I have two of my staff with me and we watch and make notes. If the kid has the basics, they are offered a place at EGO but it depends on their attitude. If a kid is unsure or just wants to dance because it's fun or is being pushed by parents but let's say they want to be a doctor, yet they have a natural talent, I have several options with Gravity. I don't have time to mentor someone who doesn't know if they want to be there so that's where Jungkook comes in. He has laid out several options for pathways into Gravity when linked to EGO."

"Such as?" Jimin asks.

"A kid could be offered a six week term. They'd know whether dance is for them by that time or Jungkook would work out if dance is a priority and something else is holding them back. He's got counsellors and Safe Haven staff at his disposal so it makes it easier for him to put them in touch with the right people. Even if it's not LGBTQ connected, the counsellors there have access to colleagues outside of Safe Haven. If a kid just has low self esteem, six weeks gives Jungkook time to work on them and then he can extend that if they want it. There's a three month option that includes a tutor to get grades up at school if the kid is failing at school so is being pushed into dance."