Us, Against The World | Taekook

2. Unexpected Turn.

Taehyung's part of the story.
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August of 2011

From childhood, Taehyung's parents had him live with his grandparents. Coming from a farming family, it was challenging for his parents to support his two younger siblings and him. So, they decided to take Taehyung to his grandparents, where he found happiness. He was especially close to his grandmother, even though she often scolded him for eating the sweets she saved for guests. Despite the scoldings, she always let him have the sweets at the end of the day.

Taehyung grew up to be an extroverted boy with a wide, boxy smile and a wild, fun-loving nature. He had many friends in school and even dated a few girls at the age of 16-17, cause he often found it hard to say no to them. These relationships were limited to interactions on social media and never lasted more than two weeks. This was how his school life unfolded.

He loved playing the saxophone, which had been one of his biggest passions since the age of three. While most of his friends enjoyed rock and disco songs, Taehyung had a deep interest in jazz and old soul music. He would listen to these genres on his earbuds while playing his saxophone, often singing or beatboxing along. Occasionally, he would try his hand at rapping, although he wasn't particularly a fan of that genre.

Taehyung's life was going smoothly until it took a 180° turn when one of his close friends asked him to accompany him to an audition happening in their hometown, Daegu. Being a good friend, Taehyung agreed.

He was chilling in the waiting area when suddenly a man, who most likely worked for the entertainment company holding the auditions, approached him.

"Hey, are you here for the audition?" the man asked, looking closely at Taehyung.

Taehyung stood up from where he was sitting. "No, no, I'm just here to accompany one of my friends."

"Oh, but why don't you try it too? You should give it a shot! I have a feeling you'll do great," the man said, seeming genuinely enthusiastic about Taehyung trying out.

Taehyung's eyes widened. He loved playing the saxophone and occasionally sang, but auditioning to become an idol? That seemed like a huge leap. "No, sir, I'm not that good. I can't even sing properly," he said nervously.

"Oh, believe me, many people auditioning inside can't sing well either. It's not a big deal to try, right? Opportunities like this don't come often! At least talk with your parents and ask them!" the man insisted.

"I...I..." Taehyung looked around nervously. "Alright, I'll talk with my parents."

He hadn't decided whether he would audition, but he knew he needed to ask his father, who was always his best advisor. After getting a nod from the man, he went to the side to call his dad.

"Hey, appa," he greeted his father.

"Hello, my boy! What's happened? Calling this early today?" his father asked. Taehyung usually called at night to share the story of his day, but today was different.

"Appa, actually..." He explained everything to his father.

"Go for it," his father said afterward.

"Appa..." Taehyung called out.

"Bear, look, trying won't hurt anyone. We can discuss the future later. But just grab the opportunity now."

"Okay, okay," Taehyung nervously said, ending the call. He then approached the man who had encouraged him, received a form for the audition, and was sent in right away while his friend waited outside.