A Rookie's Story

Chapter 1

It was a lovely spring morning, but instead of enjoying the weather, Jeon Woohyun was stuck in the practice room, practicing more dance moves from his seniors' songs.

Finally being a SM rookie after spending years of dreaming about it was a dream come true for him. He and his family along with his friends were overjoyed when he received the notice that he was to sign a contract with SM Entertainment and begin working there; it was a dream come true.But truth be told, there were times when he had second thoughts. It was rather tiring, having a strict schedule to stick to.

But he usually came to his senses after a while and realized that if he tried hard enough, if he put his heart and soul into practice, he might just become a star one day, just like his hyungs SHINee and EXO. He'd only been on the rookie programme for about a week or so, anyway.

Time to get back to dancing, Jeon Woohyun, he thought to himself.

~♥

An hour later, his personal manager, Lee Hyo Shin, knocked on the door and entered. Woohyun bowed politely. "Anneyonghaseyo, manager-nim". His manager bowed back. He was a tall, buff man, and he was strict but not unbearable. Since Woohyun hadn't been on the programme for very long, so far he had only met Hyo Shin and Sang Kyung noona, but he hadn't really gotten to know her.She'd seemed quite nice, though.

Also, Woohyun's childhood best friends, Taeyong, Jeno and Lami had also become rookies, but unfortunately they weren't grouped together.

Hyo Shin, on the other hand, was well acquainted with him; they were on good terms. He was the one who had showed Woohyun the ropes, and he was grateful to him for that.

Normally, rookies were only assigned a manager when they were about to debut, but apparently the management had decided that Woohyun needed one.

"How's training going?" He asked. "Are you doing well?"

"It's going fine. There are a few parts I'm not really familiar with yet, but I'll get to them soon," Woohyun replied.

"I'm glad to hear that. Remember, your deadline for the dancer audition is in a few months. Keep it up till then, good luck," said Hyo Shin.

"Kamsahabnida, manager-nim, I'll do my best." Woohyun replied.

"Oh,"Hyo Shin added, "before I forget, since you've been performing well, our dancer group is planning to choose you as a representative for a collaboration project with DSP Entertainment. We don't know who you'll be paired up with yet, though, but they tell me their representative is a rookie girl singer. You're going to meet her next week."

"Nae," Woohyun said, bowing. He was ecstatic but tried not to show it. Could it really be her?
His heart was racing. How awesome that would be...

"Woohyun...Jeon Woohyun!" Hyo Shin raised his voice to get his attention, bringing him back to senses. "Aish, you're daydreaming again. Focus, will you?" He gave a sigh.

Woohyun gave a embarrassed grin. "Mianhae, manager-nim, I was spacing out again."

"Gwaenchanna. Anyway, I've just been informed that HQ wants me to have you meet some of our other rookies, to get to know them and stuff."

"Nae, lead the way, manager-nim."

~♥

First, Hyo Shin led Woohyun to the company building's Management Office and knocked. A young man answered the door, and the two of them greeted each other.

"Anneyonghaseyo, Hyo Shin-sshi. Can I help you?"

"Anneyonghaseyo,
Myung-sshi. I'll have to borrow one of your staff to show Woohyun around the place, as I'm sadly too busy to do that myself. Would that be okay?"

"That'll be fine. Chakaman.... Seul Bi-sshi? Could you come here for a minute, please?" he called.

The door opened but instead of a girl coming in, a guy in his mid thirties walked in and bowed. He apologized with a bow, "Juseonghabnida. Seul Bi-sshi couldn't come because she went to film a commercial."

Hyo Shin was a little disappointed but he forced up a smile and bowed. "Ah, nae. Maybe next time we could meet up again."

"Ah, yae." The man bowed and walked out.

Hyo Shin turned to Woohyun and gave him a pat on the back. "It's too bad you guys couldn't meet today. I heard Seul Bi is already famous even if she hasn't debuted yet. Look at her. She's already filming a commercial."

Woohyun only smiled at his manager and bowed. "I'm going to go ahead first. See you later, manager hyung."

Woohyun walked out of the room and lightly closed the door behind him. He walked along the hallway with glass windows and stopped to look outside, where the trees looked bright and alive. They were popping with colors and he knew that if he stepped outside, the sweet scent of newly bloomed flowers would make its way to his nostrils.

All of a sudden--because it was too fast to process--someone headlocked Woohyun. "What are you doing here daydreaming, huh?"

"Argh! Hyung! Yah, hajima!" Woohyun said, trying to break free from the headlocked.

Taeyong, one of the trainees like him, let him go and chuckled lively. "Wahh, Woohyunie. You are such a whimp."

"I am not a whimp, hyung!" Woohyun protested, sending him a small glare. "And I was just looking at the trees. They look pretty this season."

"Yah, you sound like some dainty girl. They look beautiful..." Taeyong imitated a girl voice. "Hah! Maybe the next time I see you, you'll probably be wearing a long wig with a dress on."

Woohyun sent him a glare and sighed. "Geez, hyung. I'm going to head first and practice. I shouldn't slack off."

Taeyong ruffled his hair and said, "Oh,keurae. You head on first. I heard you have a collaboration with other trainees so you should practice and show them your skills. Who knows? You might catch a heart of a g--"

"Yah, hyung, isn't that a bit too much?" Woohyun asked, cutting him off in the middle of his sentence.

"You didn't let me finish!" Taeyong complained, pouting. Taeyong was known for his irresistible, hot aegyo that melts his noona fans away. He then continued, "I was going to say you might fall in love with a guy! Remember? Girl? Wig? Dress?"

Woohyun sighed and walked away from his annoying hyung. Even if he annoys him at times, Woohyun still loves that he's his best of friends. Shortly, he arrived at the dance practice room and saw Jeno, Lami and another girl talking.

"Oh, hey hyung," Jeno greeted, noticing Woohyun walking in.

While Woohyun took one step at a time, he heard something odd. A thump. Then another. And from that day, something new was felt. It was like meeting a stranger and saying hello.

It was something he'd never felt before.