prove it • stray kids

07 | meeting

nyla asher

[korean]

I enter the classroom with Moonsik and Hyesun. We have math together, and today we have a pretty big test. Back in California, math was an easy subject for me, but now I am being taught in Korean, so it is harder for me to follow along in class. However, since math is mostly numbers, the examples the teacher does in class are quite helpful.

"You'll do fine," Hyesun reassures me. Moonsik pats my shoulder as a silent way of wishing me good luck before we all go to our seats.

I end up finishing the test quickly and turning it in before anyone in the class. Sitting at my desk with nothing to do, I let my eyes wander around the classroom. My eyes land on a boy seated near the front: He looks familiar, but I am not sure where I've seen him before.

This school has much more students than my previous school did, and everyone here is so busy practicing or studying, so I don't get to know many people outside of my social circle.

After class ends, I catch up with Hyesun and Moonsik, and we find walk off to find the others.

»

[english]

"What do you think the meeting is about?" I ask Suwei and Riley, nervously fidgeting with the bracelet on my wrist as we walk to the room we were told to meet in.

Suwei runs her hand through her hair, "I have no clue, but don't worry. We haven't been doing anything wrong, so there is no reason to panic."

During a break we had at school, Suwei got a call saying Park Jin-Young, the founder of JYPE, wanted to meet with us after school.

"Suwei is right," Riley says, her voice wavering because of her own uncertainty, "It's not like something awful is going to happen."

a/n

»

park jinyoung, the founder of JYPE, is usually referred to as PDnim by the groups in his company, so the characters in this book address him as PDnim as well, preventing confusion between PDnim and the park jinyoung in GOT7

[korean]

We arrive at the room and enter to see PDnim sitting on one side of a table that is centered in the small room. Behind him is a shelf consisting of various albums from artists here at JYPE, including his own music.

He chuckles upon watching us awkwardly sit in the chairs across from him, "There's no need to be nervous. You're not in any kind of trouble."

Relief washes over us, but I am anxious to hear what this is about then.

"The instructors here have been paying attention to your progress during practices, and I was reminded that you three came here in hopes to debut as a group together," he starts.

We nod in confirmation, and he continues, "Typically, groups are not self-made. Another self-made group of trainees at JYPE is currently in a survival show to see if they can debut together. The same goes for you three: The three of you will be on a survival show to decide if you can debut in a group together."

I look at Suwei and Riley with a worried glance. I can't imagine being separated from them. We have only been here for just over a month, so I am still not comfortable without them. Furthermore, we make music together; it is just what we do.

PDnim explains more, "Your survival show will not be the same as theirs though. They are at risk for having members eliminated from the group. You three, however, will be at risk for debuting or training as a solo artist instead of in a group together."

"A solo artist?" Suwei asks in surprise.

He nods, "The instructors have told me that you are all improving in singing, rapping, and dance, making each of you capable to eventually debut as an artist by yourself. This survival show will decide what happens."

It looks like this survival show will be a test of our teamwork. From my perspective, the three of us work better together; we just need PDnim to see that.